Differentiating between Phoenix sylvestris and Phoenix dactylifera

[Farid Belbachir]

Dear all. 

Hope this finds you well. I am puzzled about the morphological differentiation between Phoenix sylvestris and Phoenix dactylifera. Here in Algeria, I am used with the latter species, but not at all with P. sylvestris. In the literature, the morphological caracteristics used to distinguish between the two species are not sharp. I do not know if a similar request has already been adressed in this forum.  Any help on this will be greatly appreciated. 

 

 

[TropicsEnjoyer]

I can’t provide you a very scientific answer. But in my experience P. dact is generally a much darker green in terms of fronds/leaflets, or occasionally a beautiful waxy blue green. True date fruits tend to be larger and thicker as well. And overall the fronds seem more rigid, though this is highly variable.

As for sylvester’s, their definitive species characteristics are a mess now since they are so prone to hybridization. But they tend to be a lighter shade of green and often have more curved fronds. 
 

 

[Phoenikakias]

Salam alaikum, sylvestris is always solitary, dactylifera is almost always suckering. Besides ratio of petiole's to entire leaf's length in sylvestris is 1/10  while in dactylifera is about 1/5. In other words petiole in sylvestris multiplied 10 times makes out entire leaf, while in dactylifera this is achieved through a multiplication by 5.

[TropicsEnjoyer]

1 hour ago, Phoenikakias said:

Salam alaikum, sylvestris is always solitary, dactylifera is almost always suckering. Besides ratio of petiole's to entire leaf's length in sylvestris is 1/10  while in dactylifera is about 1/5. In other words petiole in sylvestris multiplied 10 times makes out entire leaf, while in dactylifera this is achieved through a multiplication by 5.

can’t believe i forgot the textbook difference of nonsuckering and suckering. and the petiole fact… i learned something new today too

[Farid Belbachir]

Salam. Thank you very much both of you for answering my request.  I appreciate also the clue about the ratio of petiole's to entire leaf's length distinguishing the two species. I've learned something new today. Best wishes. 

[VA Jeff]

Sylvestris is not as thick trunked as dactylifera.  Sylvestris also has at least twice as many leaves.  Dactylifera looks stiffer, but not in a bad way.  Still the majority of pheonixes have more similarity than differences in appearance, other than robellenii.

[Farid Belbachir]

Thank you Jeff for those clues.  Best.

[Phoenikakias]

44 minutes ago, Farid Belbachir said:

Thank you Jeff for those clues.  Best.

Those above are differences in morphology. Imo even more considerable are the requirements in cultivation. Sylvestris, unlike dactylifera, dislikes high pH and salty soil, instead as a genuine tropical prefers richer soils in humus.

[Farid Belbachir]

Thank you Phenikakias for shedding light on the specific physiological requirements of P. sylvestris.

[Phoenikakias]

3 hours ago, Farid Belbachir said:

Thank you Phenikakias for shedding light on the specific physiological requirements of P. sylvestris.

Here is my sylvestris grown from rps seed. Can you observe how short are leaflets compared to dactylifera of similar size

[Yort]

It seems the silver date palm most people grow as Phoenix sylvestris now has a new name: Phoenix roxburghii. If I understand correctly the green Phoenix pusilla from Sri Lanka and south India is now called Phoenix silvestris. 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394488357_Revisiting_Rheede's_'Katou-Indel'_and_the_discovery_of_a_new_species_of_Phoenix_Arecaceae_from_India

 

[Phoenikakias]

On 1/30/2026 at 9:41 PM, Yort said:

It seems the silver date palm most people grow as Phoenix sylvestris now has a new name: Phoenix roxburghii. If I understand correctly the green Phoenix pusilla from Sri Lanka and south India is now called Phoenix silvestris. 

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394488357_Revisiting_Rheede's_'Katou-Indel'_and_the_discovery_of_a_new_species_of_Phoenix_Arecaceae_from_India

 

It seems, that all this discussion is about nomenclature and has nothing to do with a new description. Always those two spp under whichever name for each, have been considered distinct .