Date Palm

The date palm is a pillar of Irekei agriculture as the date itself is a staple of desert sustenance. The fruit of this tree is an oblong berry, orange to dark brown when ripe, full of sugar, rich, and chewy; each contains one woody seed. Roasted whole date seeds are a popular snack.

The date palm tree, it is said, will only grow with "its head in fire and its feet in water", and will not produce its crop outside of the desert nor without careful irrigation. Nearly every oasis has one or more to show.

Many other species of palm together with the date-bearer provide the Children of the Sands with leaves, timber, fruits and roots as traditional medicines. The leaves are used for making ropes, cord, baskets, crates and furniture. Bases of the leaves and the fruit stalks are used as fuel. Such resources must be jealously guarded, which is why at Khar Th'Sekt one will find the trees growing right inside the walls.