This compact and graceful palm is the Pygmy Date Palm, Phoenix roebelenii.

It is one of the smaller members of the date-palm family, usually growing as a single slender trunk or as several trunks clustered together. Its softly arching fronds create a delicate, feathery crown.

The leaflets are narrow and deep green, but the lower part of each frond carries sharp spines, so this attractive palm should still be approached with care.

Small cream-colored flowers appear on branching stalks among the leaves. Male and female flowers are produced on separate plants. Female plants may later develop small oval fruits that ripen from green to reddish brown or dark purple.

The Pygmy Date Palm is native to parts of Southeast Asia, where it often grows near rivers and in moist habitats. In cultivation, it has become popular in tropical and subtropical gardens because of its manageable size and elegant appearance.

Unlike the true Date Palm, its fruits are small and are not grown as a commercial food crop. Its greatest value is ornamental, especially in courtyards, along walkways, and in areas where a full-sized palm would be too large.