Doum Palm

Hyphaene thebaica

Native to:
Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sinai, Somalia, Sudan-South Sudan, Togo, Yemen

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Arecaceae
Genus:
Hyphaene
Species:
Hyphaene thebaica
USDA Symbol:
HYTH2

Growth Characteristics

Height:
1200 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
mar,apr,may
Bloom Colors:
cream, yellow

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, mammals, elephants
Deer Resistant:
Yes
Salt Tolerant:
Yes
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Can resprout from base after fire damage in its native African savanna habitat.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
thrives in arid and semi-arid regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
None required
Scarification:
Seed coat scarification required before sowing
Germination Time:
30–120 days
Notes:
Hard seed coat requires mechanical scarification or soaking. Germination is slow and erratic, best with bottom heat.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI