Desert Date
Balanites aegyptiacus
- Native to:
- Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Caprivi Strip, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Djibouti, DR Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Palestine, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sinai, Somalia, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Useendk,Prospero Alpino,Prospero Alpino - Original YuriNikolai - Variant,Marco Schmidt,Desijwo,Halima Waziri,Roger Culos,Clément Bardot,TREEAID (www.flickr.com),Blondeau, Alexandre; Fourier, Jean Baptiste Joseph; France.; France.; France.; Institut d'Egypte (1798-1801); Jacotin, Pierre; Jollois, Jean Baptiste Prosper; Jomard, Edme-François; Monge, Gaspard; Napoleon; Tresca, Salvadore; Villoteau, Guillaume André,Zahraswaty,Musaddam Idriss
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Zygophyllaceae
- Genus:
- Balanites
- Species:
- Balanites aegyptiacus
- USDA Symbol:
- BAAE3
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 1000 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow-green
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, insects
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
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:
- commonly found in arid and semi-arid regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 10–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds benefit from scarification or soaking in water for 24-48 hours before sowing. Germination improves with warm temperatures.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI