Eecham is Phoenix sylvestris, silver date — the Indian plains palm whose sap is tapped and whose fruit is smaller than a grocery date. Hindi khajur often means the imported date (P. dactylifera). It is not palmyra, not coconut, and not a jaggery brand. Look at the pinnate leaf and the clustering stems.
- Botanical name
- Phoenix sylvestris (L.) Roxb.
- Family
- Arecaceae
- Tamil
- Eecham
- Hindi
- Khajur
- Sanskrit
- Kharjūra
- Parts used
- Inflorescence sap, Fruit
- Habit
- Date palm of Indian plains; the articles are sap and a small fruit
- Last updated
- 2026-10-24
How to recognise Eecham
Roxburgh published the combination. The family is Arecaceae. It is a palm, often clustering: grey-green pinnate leaves with sharp basal spines, and large hanging bunches of small orange-red to purple-black dates.
Grocery dates are P. dactylifera, usually a thicker, single-stem orchard palm with larger fruit.
Tamil eecham / eecham pazham / icham, Hindi khajur (when the seller means this wild palm) and English silver date / Indian wild date are this species.
Kew accepts P. sylvestris.
A small fruit you can still pick from a bund palm, or a morning sap glass, is the identification. A boxed Medjool is the other species.
Palmyra is a fan palm. Coconut is a taller pinnate palm with a different nut. Three palms, three pages.
Leaves are greyish, which is why English says silver. Green-leaved young plants remain this species.
Male and female trees are separate. Fruit comes from females. Sap is tapped from the inflorescence.
The trunk is rough with old leaf bases. A smooth coconut-like bole is a reason to look again.
Fruit is smaller, more fibrous, and less of a dessert than a grocery date. That is ordinary sylvestris.
It suckers. A single monumental stem on an oasis poster is usually dactylifera.
Traditional use of Eecham
Indian food and sap
Morning sap and the small fruit are cuisine and a seasonal drink.
Bengal, Tamil and wider palm practice
Household
The palm holds a bund. Ceremony uses the leaf. Ceremony is not a medical claim.
Household practice
Modern notes on Eecham
Fresh sap ferments in hours. A morning glass and a distilled spirit are different strengths.
Eecham safety
Culinary fruit and fresh morning sap are the ordinary exposures. Climbing a palm is the real hazard. Fermented sap is alcohol.
Ecology and sourcing
It is a planted and naturally spreading plains palm. Honesty is a named bund, not a West Asian orchard.
Related plants
Also in Arecaceae
Questions about Eecham
Is Eecham the grocery date?
Usually no. Boxed dessert dates are Phoenix dactylifera. Eecham is this smaller Indian plains palm.
What is the Tamil name of Phoenix sylvestris?
Eecham. We did not alias the bare word date.
Is Eecham palmyra?
No. Palmyra is Borassus, a fan palm. Eecham is pinnate.
Sources
- Phoenix sylvestris (L.) Roxb. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q2285767 (Phoenix sylvestris)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.