Date Palm Flowers

The date palm, Phoenix dactylifera is known to have been of great importance in the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East since ancient times. Date stones have been excavated at numerous sites in the Middle East and North Africa. Often cultivated in gardens, date palms can withstand a hot, dry climate and moderately saline soils, and produce an abundance of sugary fruit that can be stored for future consumption.

Recognised as both food and medicine, the trunk and fronds have also been used as building materials, for basketry and for making other useful objects.

Painted from specimens in Fili Sharjah, UAE.

Grows at Kew in the Temperate House.

Completed painting size: 63 x 111cm
Main picture (juvenile) natural size, dissection of male flowers x 6, dissection of female flowers x 12
Watercolour on paper