Fauna
Plant

Sugar Date Palm

Phoenix sylvestris

Also known as Silver Date Palm, Indian Date, Wild Date Palm

Sugar date palms are medium-sized palms distinguished by robust trunks covered in a prominent diamond pattern of old leaf scars. Dense, rounded crowns feature greyish-green, pinnate leaves armed with sharp basal leaflets that shield emerging flower clusters. Deeply embedded in South Asian cultural landscapes, these resilient trees thrive in dry plains and scrubland where mature specimens anchor regional biodiversity.

Drought TolerantPalmsTree
Sugar Date Palm reference1 / 7
(c) Hari Prasad Nadig, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
  • Red Palm Weevil
  • Asian Palm Civet
  • Indian Flying Fox
ThreatsLethal bronzing disease, habitat conversion, unsustained tapping
HabitatsPlains, scrublands, open river valleys, agricultural borders
Life span60–100 years
Classification
  1. OrderArecales
  2. FamilyArecaceae
  3. GenusPhoenix
  4. SpeciesPhoenix sylvestris
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild fruits have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fruits based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Watch for Spines: Avoid reaching into the lower frond bases, which bear stiff, sharp needle-like leaflets.
  • Observe Wildlife: Scan the fruiting crowns at dusk for foraging fruit bats and seed-dispersing birds.
  • Respect Tapping Equipment: Keep distance from active sap-collection pots attached to trunk cuts.
Related species
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…