date

Dates ripening on a date palm in Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Dates ripen between June and December in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries. Dates can be used in many ways, for example they can be eaten fresh or dried, used as sweeteners, or made into an alcoholic drink.

Palm tree, also known as the date palm. The female tree produces the brown oblong fruit, dates, in bunches weighing 9-11 kg/20-25 lb. Dates are an important source of food in the Middle East, being rich in sugar; they are dried for export. The tree also supplies timber and materials for baskets, rope, and animal feed. (Genus Phoenix.)

The most important species is Phoenix dactylifera; native to northern Africa, soutwest Asia, and parts of India, it grows up to 25 m/80 ft high. A single bunch can contain as many as 1,000 dates. Their juice is made into a kind of wine.