Wild Date Palm

Afrikaans name: Wildedadelboom

Wild Date Palm

Photo © Steven Herbert

Phoenix reclinata

The Wild Date Palm can grow to a height of 10 metres. It can often be found near water and normally grows in small clumps.

In South Africa it is found along the eastern region of the country from near Port Elizabeth through KwaZulu-Natal.

The leaves are long, slender and spiny. It gets clumps of small fruit which are up to about 2 cm in length.

The fruit is eaten by various animals including Elephants, Chacma Baboon and Vervet Monkeys. The caterpillars of the Palm-tree Nightfighter butterfly feed on the leaves.

Photo © Steven Herbert

References and further reading

Trees of Kruger - Author: Braam and Piet van Wyk - Published: 2023 - Page: 123

Trees of Southern Africa - 3rd edition - Author: Keith Coates Palgrave - Published: 2002 - Page: 97

The Complete Field Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei - Author: Elsa Pooley - Published: 1994 - Page: 50

Sappi Tree Spotting: Lowveld - Author: Jacana - Published: 1997 - Page: 186

Sasol First Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa - Author: Elsa Pooley - Published: 1999 - Page: 42

SA Wild Flower Guide No 4 - Transvaal Lowveld - Author: Jo Onderstall - Published: 1984 - Page: 30

Sappi Tree Spotting: KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape - 2nd edition - Author: Val Thomas and Rina Grant - Published: 2004 - Page: 118

Photographic Guide to Trees of Southern Africa - Author: B, P, and B-E van Wyk - Published: 2000 - Page: 231

Piet van Wyks Field Guide to the Trees of the Kruger National Park - 1st edition - Author: Piet van Wyk - Published: 1988 - Page: 20

Kruger - Portrait of a National Park - Author: David Paynter with Wilf Nussey - Published: 1986 - Page: 28

Indigenous Garden Plants of Southern Africa - Author: Glenice Ebedes - Published: 2017 - Page: 42

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 390

Game Ranger in your Backpack - Author: Megan Emmett and Sean Pattrick - Published: 2013 - Page: 298

Field Guide to the Trees of the Kruger National Park - 5th edition - Author: Piet van Wyk - Published: 2008 - Page: 20

A Field Guide to the Trees of Southern Africa - Revised - Author: E. Palmer - Published: 1983 - Page: 74

Everyones Guide to Trees of South Africa - Author: Keith, Paul and Meg Coates Palgrave - Published: 1989 - Page: 17

A Field Guide to the Trees of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: E. Palmer - Published: 1977 - Page: 73

For more info: SANBI

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List of South African Plants