Can we grow Ajwa and Ambar dates in Central Punjab

[asif.javed]

Dear Respected Forum Members,

Is it possible to grow Ajwah and Ambar dates in Central Punjab, (Faisalabad/Sargodha region)???? Someone has offered me Ajwah and Amber dates plants on very high price (3000 PRs for each plant) and they will give fruit in 2/3 years.

Both of these plants are planted only in Madinah Munwara and these high price dates are imported from there.

Actually wanted some beautiful dates plants in my 30 Marla Lawn, but this offer stunned me.


Also please guide me how and from where I can obtain these plants which are not only trusted for these categories of dates (AJWAH/AMBAR ETC) but also looks excellent int LAWN.

[Farhan Ahmed]

Are you sure that its true ajwa & amber...this should be your first concern.
What is approx age of plant? Dates produce fruits from 4-8 Years.
Climatically i think there is no problem.
8 Yrs back my mother poked Ajwa seed in ground in Karachi. It grew to become a big tree....I am not sure is it fruiting or not. Its quite a time i visited it.

[mikhurram]

I am not sure about Ambar but Ajwa trees would never bear fruit outside Medina. The tree would grow but not bear any fruit. It would be exercise in futility. I am 100% certain about it. Even in Saudi Arabia all of Ajwa yields come from Medina.

There are some dates known as "Medjool" orginally imported to USA a century ago from Morocco. They are famous for their taste, size and extraordinary yield. I have heard that some plants are now available in Pakisan. Like Papayas the issue of male and female plants is also in dates. Hand pollination has to be done to achieve fruit. An expert would be able to guide you better.

Local indigenous dates trees of Sindh and DG Khan are also famous for their taste.

[aykhan]

A cousin who lives in Makkah said that they are now growing Ajwa in Makkah or nearby. I didn't specifically ask him at that time since I was hoping to purchase Ajwa from Makkah during Hajj since it was my final stop. However, he said the Ajwa of Madinah was much superior so I ended up buying from Madinah. Also Amber I believe is also only grown in Madinah. There are different varieties of Ajwa also. Some are smaller and some bigger. The bigger ones are considerably more expensive. Agar sirf Aqeedat ki baat hai to just bury a genuine Ajwa seed and enjoy the plant that sprouts from it. For the fruit I don't think you will get the same quality as of Madinah even if it does bear fruit.

[aykhan]

Any update on those Ajwa and Amber plants?

[Farhan Ahmed]

My family last month harvested dates from the Ajwa seed planted tree in Karachi. They report that though dates are good but not similar to Ajwa. I guess Ajwa will be ajwa only where it is supposed to be

[aykhan]

I agree Farhan. Would an Ajwa plant be the real deal since maybe seeds are not true to variety? I'm thinking like mangoes: chaunsa seed will not give chaunsa plant.

[Farhan Ahmed]

Not thinking in botanical terms....but in spiritual ones. I think Ajwa is destined to be as it is only in Madina. Because it was a tree with small ordinary fruit but became iconic only once blessed By prophet.

I Wonder if it was possible to replicate Ajwa's else where. People would have already done it on commercial scale. But this is not the case

[Munir]

I believe it will grow alright, but may not fruit at all or certainly not of the same quality.This is the common view.

[Syed Adnan]

Dates are dioecious, separate male / female, so you have to put four trees , i wonder what will happen to the fruit if there is a cross breed?

Here in Saudiarabia, Ajwa is growing outside Madinah also, but taste is different, so i believe there is no reason not to grow it in Punjab. The sweetest of all dates available here is SAKRI.