Jenny E. Ross / A Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) plantation in the Coachella Valley near the Salton Sea. More than 90 percent of the dates produced in the United States are grown in this region, using Colorado River...

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Date palm {Phoenix dactylifera} looking up at the ripening dates, Muscat, Oman

Ernie Janes / Date Palms and the Atlas Mountains in the far distance. Skoura Oasis, Morocco, North Africa, March 2011.

Pete Oxford / Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) fruit for sale in Djemaa el-Fna, Marrakesh, Morocco

Juan Manuel Borrero / Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) flowering, Spain.

Angelo Gandolfi / Draa Valley landscape with date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) plantation. The river Draa seeps into the sand of the Sahara desert and disappears. Morocco, March 2007.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Date palm {Phoenix dactylifera} freshly harvested dates in basket made from palm fronds attached to the trunk of a date palm, Muscat, Oman

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Date palm {Phoenix dactylifera} freshly harvested ripe dates ready to eat, Muscat, Oman

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Date palm {Phoenix dactylifera} man harvesting dates in date plantation, Muscat, Oman

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Date palm {Phoenix dactylifera} with ripe dates, Muscat, Oman

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Date palm {Phoenix dactylifera} clusters of ripening dates, Muscat, Oman

Martin Gabriel / Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) with fruit, Valencia, Spain, February