Edible Plants of the World

Senegal date palm

Senegal date palm

A tropical plant. It suits damp spots in tropical and warm places. It grows in the lowlands and the highlands. They are often along river banks in low-lying open grassland. It can adapt to a wide range of conditions. In Madagascar it grows from sea level to 3300 m altitude. In Kenya it grows from sea level to 2,600 m altitude. It is salt tolerant. It can grow in arid places. In Melbourne Botanical Gardens. It suits plant hardiness zones 9-11. In Townsville palmetum.

Also known as:

Barn-o, Bedjaca, Belin, Buadia, Chinzu, Co-rosso, Coffee palm, Corossedjambo, Deye, Dikindu, Dinsongo, Domaa, Ekingol, Esasa, Feather palm, Idama, Intsanti, Isundu, Kandjedza, Kanjedza, Kindu, Lilala, Lisundvu, Lukindu, Lusundvu, M'jacai, Makindu, Mandjaca, Mchindu, Medjaca, Meexii, Millan, Mkindu, Moxinxa-mokulane, Msundu, Muchindu, Muchindwe, Muchingwi, Mukpetida, Mutshema, Mutshevho, Ntshindo, Olpiroo, Ol-tukai, Omukindo, Omuvare, Otit, Palem korma afrika, Quindo, Saraba, Senel, Serque, Sundu, Tchinzo, Thikerva, Tit, Umukiindo, Wild date palm, Wola, Zamba, Zembaba

Synonyms

Edible Portion

Where does Senegal date palm grow?

Found in: Africa, Asia, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo DR, Congo R, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, East Africa, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mayotte, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Notes: There are 17 Phoenix species.

Status: The fruit are eaten especially by children. It is a commonly used food in West Africa.

Growing Senegal date palm

Cultivation: Plants are easily grown from seed. The seed should be cleaned of all flesh. They are then best soaked before planting. They transplant easily. They can also be grown from suckers.

Edible Uses: The sap of the fruit stalk is tapped to make an alcoholic drink. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer. The fruit can be eaten when ripe. The green fruit are immersed in water for a few hours and they then become bright red and their pulp becomes sweet and edible. The end leaf bud is eaten as a vegetable. The seeds are used as a coffee substitute. The seed kernel is used in cereal based preparations.

Production: Growth of seedlings in fast. The sap flow increases to the flower stalk just before flowering. This can be tapped. The ripening clusters of fruit can be harvested by cutting. The fruit weigh 0.4 g.

Nutrition Info

per 100g edible portion

Edible Part Energy (kcal) Protein (g) Iron (mg) Vitamin A (ug) Vitamin c (mg) Zinc (mg) % Water
Seed 227 1.8 4.7 - - - 42.6
Fruit 79 3.9 - - - - 50.6

Senegal date palm Photos

Senegal date palm Senegal date palm Senegal date palm

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