species: Phoenix dactylifera
common name: date palm
family: Arecaceae
where & when encountered: Amargosa Valley, CA - 2014
I had previously seen date plantations in the Coachella Valley, but this was my closest and most memorable encounter. The farm was situated somewhere between Death Valley and Nevada. Date palms have a very long history of cultivation and are native to Mesopotamia. The bags protect the fruit from birds.
The covered dates look quite humorous. I'm all for it though, if it protects them from the birds. I WANT DATE SHAKES!
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