Israeli researchers grow new date plants from 2,000-year-old seeds

Elaine Solowey, of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies at Kibbutz Ketura in Israel, recently broke the good news to National Geographic:

“He is over three meters [ten feet] tall, he's got a few offshoots, he has flowers, and his pollen is good," she says. "We pollinated a female with his pollen, a wild [modern] female, and yeah, he can make dates."

Methuselah sprouted back in 2005, when agriculture expert Solowey germinated his antique seed. It had been pulled from the remains of Masada, an ancient fortification perched on a rock plateau in southern Israel, and at the time, no one could be sure that the plant would thrive. But he has, and his recent reproductive feat helps prove just how well he’s doing.

Tree Grown From 2,000-Year-Old Seed Has Reproduced | Smart News | Smithsonian Magazine

more info

 

Date palms are a popular 'ornamental' tree. - like these in LA


I grew up in SoAz seeing these and nor realizing the food produced.

There is a group in Tucson (of mostly hippie types) that harvest these palm fruits and other food from trees growing along streets and on private lots (with permission)

https://www.desertharvesters.org/home-page/street-orchards-for-community-security/ pretty cool stuff.

 

speaking of old trees, the UofA has some very old ones on campus
Heritage Trees on the UA Campus | University of Arizona Campus Arboretum

UT (Austin) has a very interesting set of trees
Campus Flora

Austin may be weird - but they understand trees
4-story, 150-ton heritage tree finds new home

 

That is really cool. Thanks for the posts.

 

Desert Harvesters org (not mostly hippy types) also harvest mesquite beans and other desert fruits and veggies from peoples yards (with permission) and make food for the food bank as well as personal use.

 

Darn I don't think that they will grow in new Mexico. Turns out it's too cold, who'd thunk dat.

 

My brother has a coffee trailer and was down at the annual bean grinding 'party' at their place by the river. (Boler Beanery)

(Little Boler Beanery's Photos | Facebook) for more photos of his cute trailer.

He refereed to them as "hippy types" - very nice folks worried about the environment.
Not only did he sell a crap-load of coffee, the organizer gave him 2 lbs of bean flour. As he said, very nice folks.

See also my earlier post on rainwater harvesting in Tucson.