Black Sphinx Dates

Mother Nature makes all sorts of candy - sweet cherries, juicy peaches - but the Black Sphinx dates are in a class by themselves. How does something that grows on a tree melt in your mouth like the finest of confections? We don’t know. We just know that until you’ve tasted one of these incredible dates, you can’t imagine how wonderful a piece of fruit can taste. There’s nothing else like it in the world.

Where do they come from? On the south side of Camelback Mountain, in Pheonix, Arizona, you’ll find what remains of this unique grove of trees - the only Black Sphinx grove in the United States. These Black Sphinx trees have been growing in Pheonix since the 1920s and the ones harvested today have simply remained in place even as the city grew up around them. Harry Polk spent more than 25 years caring for these trees, many of which are individually owned (the trees are now spread across multiple properties). When Harry finally retired, a woman who had grown up in the neighborhood, Erica Schlatter, took over the care and harvest of the remaining Black Sphinx Date Palms. And the care of these trees is no easy task. Getting the dates to market each year is a serious labor of love. Erica uses a cherry picker truck three times each year, navigating through the neighborhood and around power-lines, to access the high branches. Each tree is hand pollinated in the spring. As the date fronds develop, the cherry picker comes out again and the fruit is bagged to keep it safe from any birds who would poach the sweet fruit before it is ready for harvest. Finally, in early October there is one more sky high journey to harvest the fruit of these amazing palm trees.

The Black Sphinx dates are rare, unbelievably delicious, and all natural. Even better, no chemicals or fumigants are used in their production so you can be sure that you’re tasting only the exquisite flavor of a Black Sphinx date. The plump moist fruit, almost jetblack in color, has a delicate flavor and a creamy texture. They’re fabulous right out of the box - but don’t stop there. Try them stuffed with blue cheese, goat cheese, chocolate, or nuts. They’re also wonderful in salads.

We are the only retail shop in the USA - outside of Phoenix - to stock these gems. And we have a very limited supply, so come on in and get them while they last! If you haven’t tried these yet, you’re in for an unbelievable surprise.