Uses of date palm

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Chapter 5. Uses of date palm. CHAPTER 5: PALM PRODUCTS (EXCLUDING DATES) Contents – Previous – Next.

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Besides the fruit, to which most of the contents of this publication is devoted, the date palm over the
Uses of date palm. CHAPTER 5: PALM PRODUCTS (EXCLUDING DATES) Contents – Previous – Next. Besides the fruit, to which most of the contents of this publication is devoted, the date palm over the centuries has also provided a large number of other products which have been extensively used by man in all aspects of daily life. The often remoteness of the date producing areas with few other resources available has stimulated and refined these uses of basically rather coarse materials. However modern technological developments and improved communications have influenced, and in many instances decreased, their use. On the other hand these same technological developments have made it possible to look at the palm as a raw material source for industrial purposes. It seems, therefore, logical to review first the traditional uses of the various date palm parts, after which the more recent product development and use will be assessed. Practically all parts of the date palm, except perhaps the roots, are used for a purpose best suited to them. A main division of date palm parts is made as follows: a) the trunk, b) the leaves (whole leaves, midribs, leaflets and spines, and the sheath at the leaf base), c) the reproductive organs (spathes, fruit stalk, spikelets and pollen) and d) a number of palm extracts. 5.1 Traditional use of palm products. Through the centuries the use of palm products in the date producing areas was diffused in all sectors of the economy from agriculture, transport and construction, to domestic use and reaching out also into the urban centres. On occasion the production of these palm products equalled or became more important than the date crop itself (318). the trunk or stem becomes available upon natural or accidental death of the palm or by forced removal. The soft growing point or terminal bud, sweet in taste, can be consumed either raw as a salad or as a cooked vegetable somewhat resembling artichoke hearts though this varies with the palm variety (445). Date growers of the Sahara attribute depurative properties to the bud and it is consumed more for this purpose than as a food (363). In time of food scarcity the inside of the trunk has been pulverized and turned into a coarse flour for human consumption (363). But the trunk’s main use is for its wood, which intrinsically is not of high quality because of the coarse vascular bundles (monocotolydon!) but it has great tensile strength. Its use is therefore geared to exploit this characteristic such as for poles, beams (Fig. 86), rafters, lintels, girders, pillars, jetties and light foot bridges. For this purpose they can be used whole or split in half or quarters. Hollowed out half trunks are used as conduits for water, or at shorter lengths for mangers and troughs. Sawn into coarse planks they are made up into doors, shutters and staircases for houses (Fig. 87). Figure 86: Palm Trunk used in Roof Making. Figure 87: Planks made out of Palm Trunk used for Doors. Rustic furniture has also been made though trunkwood, because of its coarse vascular structure, is difficult to cut, finish and polish. Furthermore the trunk was used extensively in the supporting strucures for water lifting be it in the Egyptian waterwheel, the Sakiyeh (318) or in the animal drawn water lifting from open wells. And finally, the trunks are also used as firewood. b. leaves: Every year under normal growth conditions an average of 12 to 15 new leaves are formed by the palm and consequently the same amount can be expected to be cut as part of the maintenance of the palm. Taken over hundreds or thousands of trees this can lead to large numbers of leaves becoming available annually. Leaves offer the most varied end use opportunities which are discussed by the individual parts in which the leaf can be divided: i. the leaf as a whole : whole leaves are used in fencing by sticking them into the ground and holding them together with two or three layers of rope made of the leaflets (Fig. 10), or in partitioning in houses and enclosures of terraces providing privacy but keeping a certain ventilation. Leaves are further used as roofing to give shade or for newly planted offshoots. Where mud is used in house construction whole date leaves may be laid across the ceiling beams (made of the trunk) in a thick bedding upon which a layer of mud is poured to form the first floor or roof cover (318). Whole palm leaves further have a special meaning at Christian and Jewish religious festivals and the introduction of the date palm into South America has been attributed to the missionaries who carried along date seeds from the Old World in order to secure a supply of palm leaves for religious celebrations. ii.

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