Species

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 Cultivars of dates

Many cultivars of dates exist and the names given depend upon the country that plants the palm tree. So there are many species in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, Labia, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and so on.

 The most important are:

 Aabel' - common in Libya ·

 ‘Ajwah' - from the town of ‘Ajwah in Saudi Arabia, it is the subject of a famous hadith of the prophet Muhammad.

     'Amir Hajj' - from Iraq, these are soft with a thin skin and thick flesh.  AbdRahim'   ‎, from Sudan.

     'Amer' (amir) hajj - called "the visitor's date"

      Barakawi‎, from Sudan

     'Barhee' (barhi) (from Arabic barh, a hot wind) - these are nearly cylindrical, light amber to dark brown when ripe; soft, with thick flesh and rich flavour. One of the few varieties which are good in the khalal stage when they are yellow (like a grape instead of dried like a raisin).  

      Bireir'  - from Sudan

     'Deglet Noor' (Arabic: 'translucent' or 'date of light') - so named because the centre appears light or golden when held up to the sun. This is a leading date in Algeria, the USA, and Tunisia, and in the latter country it is grown in inland oases and is the chief export cultivar. It is semi-dry and not very sweet.

     'Derrie' or 'Dayri' (the 'Monastery' date) - from southern Iraq - these are long, slender, nearly black, and soft.

     'Empress'- developed by the Deval Family in Indio California USA from a seedling of 'Deglet Noor'. It is larger than 'Deglet Noor', somewhat softer and sweeter. It generally has a light tan top half and brown bottom half.

     'Ftimi' or 'Alligue' - these are grown in inland oases of Tunisia.

     'Halawy' (Halawi) (Arabic: 'sweet') - these are soft, and extremely sweet, small to medium in size.

     'Haleema' - in Hoon, Libya (Haleema is a woman's name)

     'Hayany' - from Egypt (Hayani) (Hayany is a man's name) - these dates dark-red to nearly black and soft.

      'Iteema' - common in Algeria

     'Khadrawy' (Arabic: 'green') - this is the cultivar most favoured by Arabs, it is a soft, very dark date considered to be of the highest quality.

     'Khalasah' (Arabic: 'quintessence') - the most famous palm

     in Saudi Arabia, famous for its sweetness level that is not

      high nor low, thus, suits most people. Its fruit is

     called 'Khlas'. Its famous place is 'Huffuf' (Al-Ahsa) in the

      Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia (Al-Sharqheyah).

'Khastawi' (Khusatawi, Kustawy) - this is the leading soft date in Iraq; it is syrupy and small in size, prized for dessert. 'Maktoom' (Arabic: 'hidden') - this is a large, red-brown, thick-skinned, soft, medium-sweet date.

'Manakbir' - a large fruit which ripens early.

'Medjool' (Arabic: 'unknown') - from Morocco, also grown

in the USA and Israel; a large, sweet and succulent date.

'Migraf' (Mejraf) - very popular in Southern Yemen, these

are large, golden-amber dates.

'Mgmaget Ayuob' - from Hoon, Libya 'Mishriq'  'East' -

from Sudan   and Saudi Arabia

'Sag‘ai' - from Saudi Arabia.

'Saidy' (Saidi) - soft, very sweet, these are popular in Libya.

'Sayer' (Sayir) (Arabic: 'common') - these dates are

dark orange-brown, of medium size, soft and syrupy.

'Tagyat' - common in Libya

'Tamej' - in Libya

'Thoory' (Thuri) - popular in Algeria, this dry date is brown

-red when cured with a bluish bloom and very wrinkled

skin. Its fles h is sometimes hard and brittle but the flavour

described as sweet and nutty.

'Umeljwary' - in Libya

'Zahidi' (Zahdi) (Arabic: 'nobility'?) - these medium size, cylindrical, light golden-brown semi-dry dates are very sugary, and sold as soft, medium- hard.