I've been in Crete last summer and visited famous Preveli valley where small population of Cretan Date Palm grows. This palm is a diminished copy of usual Date palm, its leaves are slightly grey-bluish, very hard with sharp ends. I've got féw seeds just from the road and 10 of them gave me seedlings. Don't know how hardy this palm is, because it's really burning oven in summer and no frosts at all in winter in southern Crete.

I bought 3 phoenix theophrasti from the same seller on ebay.They are deasent seedlings,about 12" tall.2 of them are growing straight but one is badley curved.One thing atleast on mine,they have rust looking spots on them.I dont know if its some kind of fungis or what.They all are putting out new growth,I potted them up to 1 gallon pots.I bought them because there suppost to be the most cold hardy phoenix palm.I've had them about three weeks now.All in all they are worth the $1.99 I paid for them plus the $7.00 for shipping.I dont have any real long term experience with them.I thought I would just tell you what you will be gitting(what condition).I have mine in 3 hours of morning sun for now.I'm gradually getting them more use to the sun.As I said there all putting out new growth.I hope this helps some,good luck trying to find many people growing them,I couldent.

I have one in a ten gallon or bigger that I would part with. Very cool looking palm to me.

Hey David,how much do you want for your palm?Where do you live at?Let me know.

You can email me by going to my name and going to my home page. I tried yours but it seems you don't receive emails.

Anybody happen to know where to get seeds for this particular palm inside of the USA??

I couldent find any seeds but ebay has seedlings cheep.I bought 3 of them for $1.99.I've had them about three weeks and they are growing at a pretty good rate.

Berkeley botanical garden has this palm-in person they have colorful yellow/orange petioles on the fronds. They also sucker heavily with wicked thorns.

Thanks for the advice. Will probably do the eBay thing.

This is not a fast growing palm so if you can buy one with size you will be ahead of the game. They take about 5 yrs to get to ten gallon from the ebay size. I think I will plant mine which is 5+ yrs old.

I figured they were. My true date palms are grown from seed and are about as old. A lot of roots for such a small plant.

Just bought 10 Cretan Date Palm seedlings for $5 on ebay. That's 50 cents apiece for a palm not available in any Florida nursery.

They are hardy to zone 10 and they don't like humidity or rain. Get all spotty and rusty from rain. No wonder none are found in Florida. Try growing them in southern AZ and southern CA. I planted a couple in zone 8B and they died from rain and cold in "winter" exposed to a couple nights of light freeze. If you protect them from humidity and rain you can ggrow them in SoFL.

can they grow in zone 8a

@Zone7Palmz

Unprotected, probably not unless the 8a is in a very arid environment like New Mexico.