Date Palms in Standing Water?

[ahosey01 535]

Anyone ever try to grow a date palm in standing water?

Noticed that in Arizona, they only naturalize immediately on the shores of water.  In some cases, quite literally touching - or inches from touching - the water.  My thought is that soil has to be soaked just a few inches down.

[Palmfarmer 302]

I Found this:

https://www.growables.org/information/TropicalFruit/PalmPhoenixDactilifera.htm

"Climatic requirements
Date palm is very exacting in its climatic requirement, which according to an Arab saying should grow with its feet in running water and its head in the fire of the sky.  The successful cultivation of date palm requires a long summer with high day as well as night temperature, a mild winter without frost, and absence of rain at the time of flowering and fruit setting with low relative humidity and plenty of sunshine.  It is estimated that finest date varieties require 3,300 units of heat (base 10ºC) for full maturity of its berries. ^7"

[Palmfarmer 302]

So it should be fine as long as the water around has some movement to "replace" the water in the soil is my theory.  

Edited April 7 by Palmfarmer

[awkonradi 303]

Adam, I think your conjecture that the soil must be soaked just a few inches down must be correct.  Just look at pictures of date palms around Saharan and Arabian oases.  That soil must be mostly sand and highly permeable.  Water must spread meters (if not kilometers) from the visible ponds.

[Rickybobby 1,157]

In Arizona (been there many times) the palms are not soaked in water. The palms are close enough to take advantage of the moist soil nearby. Normally when I’m in Arizona. Havasa area. Only palms near water I see are Washingtonian filifera and robusta 

[ahosey01 535]

3 hours ago, Rickybobby said:

In Arizona (been there many times) the palms are not soaked in water. The palms are close enough to take advantage of the moist soil nearby. Normally when I’m in Arizona. Havasa area. Only palms near water I see are Washingtonian filifera and robusta 

I live in AZ.  I couldn’t get a good photo of the base of this one because of all the undergrowth, but the west edge of the trunk base was about 12 inches away and maybe 2-3 inches higher than the water on the shore.

I have seen naturalized Washingtonia in sidewalk cracks.  I’ve only ever seen naturalized date palms growing basically right on the water.

 

Edited April 8 by ahosey01

[Palmfarmer 302]

Here for some reason seeds very rarely naturlize it seems, even washies. Only seen a few Washies growing from cracks in the asphalt.