A moderate sized dioecious tree, 7.5-15 m tall, without root suckers, stem clothed with remains of petiole bases. Leaves smaller than the
Phoenix dactylifera, 96 cm - 4 m long, greyish green, quite glabrous, pinnately divided into numerous leaflets. Leaflets 15-60 cm long and 8-2.5 cm broad, alternate, opposite or fascicled, in several planes, apex almost sharply pointed; lower leaf-lets modified into hard spines, up to c. 12 cm long, petiole short, glabrous, spiny. Inflorescence and flowers as in the
Phoenix dactylifera. Fruit drupe, about 2.5 cm long, orange yellow, rounded at the ends, sweet, edible. Seeds woody, longitudinally grooved on one side