Everyone knows them: those soft, sweet dates that melt in your mouth. But how do dates actually grow? Do they grow on a tree or a plant? And why are some dates large and juicy, while others are dry and tough? In this article, we'll explain it step by step. From desert sand to your pantry.
Do dates grow on a tree or on a plant?
Dates grow on the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), a tree that can grow up to 25 meters tall. Technically, the palm belongs to the plant family, but it's better seen as a tree with a trunk, leaves, and clusters full of fruit.
Growth begins with a young plant, but only after years—and only if the climate is hot and dry enough—does the plant grow into a productive palm tree.
Male and female palms
Not every palm tree bears dates. Only female palms produce fruit. But without a male palm, there's no fertilization—and thus no dates. In nature, this happens via the wind, but on plantations, it's done manually. Farmers transfer pollen from male flowers to female flower clusters. This is called manual pollination, and it happens every spring.
From bloom to ripe date: the four phases
A date does not grow overnight. After pollination, the fruit goes through four phases:
- Kimri – hard and green
- Khalal – crisp, yellow or red
- Rutab – semi-ripe, soft and sweet
- Tamar – fully ripe, dark and dried on the tree
Our Medjool dates are often picked during the rutab or tamar phase, when they have reached their perfect texture and taste.
Why thin out clusters?
One palm can produce tens of kilos of dates, but sometimes there are so many that the tree becomes overloaded. That's why farmers thin out the clusters: they remove some of the fruits so that the remaining dates can grow better. Less is more.
Harvesting: by hand and at the right time
Harvest time varies by country and type, but often takes place between September and December. This is done by hand—often at great heights, with a climbing harness or lift. The clusters are carefully cut, and dates are sorted by size, ripeness, and quality.
Some dates still need to 'ripen' in the shade, others go directly cooled or dried to packaging.
Quality is in the details
At Dadelskopen.nl, we consciously choose dates that:
- Have natural cultivation (without pesticides or artificial additives)
- Are hand-harvested
- Are not heated or cooked
- Are dried fresh or at low temperatures
This way, you taste the pure flavor of nature—without any fuss.
Did you know…
- A single date palm only bears fruit after 5 to 7 years?
- Medjool dates are called 'the queen of dates' because of their size?
- A well-maintained palm can continue to produce for decades?
Taste for yourself
With us, you don't buy bulk dates from a warehouse—but carefully selected, premium dates directly from the source. Whether you're looking for Medjool, Sukkari, Ajwa, or stuffed dates: we ensure that it's truly good.