There is an old, Arab proverb about the date palm "growing with its head in fire and its feet in water." There is a big misconception about some palms that grow in the desert. Some people wanna treat them as though they were cacti, but Dates and Washingtonia too often rely on subterranean springs for a constant supply of water. Desert Dates (not all Phoenix are desert species either), only Spring up where soil moisture is adequate--in an oasis. Extremely important tree, not only for food, but it provides some understory shelter for smaller plants, birds, and other animals. I even use my many containerized one for this purpose (mostly canariensis grown from seed). In the Summer, my asphalt growing area turns hellishly hot, but the dates (watered daily if not more so), give shelter to more shade-growing palms.

The palm in the photo is a male P. Roebellini (Pygmy date), a more tropical species.

Yes, I've seen images of them in North Africa, in oases, always associated with springs. But it's strange to see them in reality virtually standing in water. This particular grove was planted over 100 years ago but later abandoned. Many plants have self seeded, and probably a lot have died. Not much trace of the rows they would have been planted in. But they have been self seeding (no doubt aided by birds) in the nearby river and are sprouting the river bed. So there'd be times those ones are standing in flowing water.

P. roebellinii is an interesting one. Considering it comes from south east Asia, it's amazing just how much cold it can take. I often wonder whether it's something to do with the genetic make up of the genus Phoenix.

I agree Tropic, about the Pygmy. Mine has to go into a cold garage because it is too big. Well, several years ago, the bud pulled on the one in the picture. First season it sulked, second, it took off, then, every season after, it flowered annually.