AL BOOM TOURIST VILLAGE

The desert is teeming with life and far from the image of desert dunes, here are 5 trees that we have chosen to present to you emblematic of the Emirate of Dubai.

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera ) is inseparable from arid regions. For decades, it contributed to the food of the desert people, but also to multiple practical uses: its wood was used to build boats, while its leaves were transformed into baskets, mattresses, toys, and were also used to build houses. Nowadays, date palm production is a real industry and its fruit is one of the only agricultural products exported from the UAE. There are more than 42 million date trees and more than 73 different species in the Emirates. The date, much better eaten fresh and soft than dried, is also known for its nutritional virtues, rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. It even has its own national festival organized every year in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi: "The Liwa Date Festival highlights these important attributes of the date palm. It also showcases the latest agricultural practices and facilitates the exchange of expertise on the best ways to produce dates of the highest quality. The festival is one of Abu Dhabi's most important cultural and tourism events and reveals the many ways in which dates have influenced the cultural, traditional and economic life of the country. It is an opportunity for visitors to learn about dates and taste the most popular date varieties grown in the UAE. Quite undemanding, the date palm tolerates any type of soil (even sandy and salty). But if it can reach a hundred years old, it takes several years to give fruits and requires manual pollination. Moreover, it needs a minimal but regular watering to flourish.

Apart from its date production, the palm tree favors the growth of plants and small fruit trees (fig trees, mango trees, lemon trees, almond trees...) to which it provides a saving shade.

Alsidr : Known since time immemorial, used in Pharaonic Egypt, mentioned in the Book of the three great monotheistic religions, the Ziziphs spina christi is the jujube tree that would have provided the thorns of the Crown of Christ. Considered as a deciduous shrub, it has an erect habit, with a slender zigzag branch, provided with sharp thorns. Composed of three welded cores, its fruits called locally, Nabch, are yellow. They are very appreciated by the Emiratis. They have a high content of vitamin B and C and they were even used to make shampoo in the past. The bees gather them and they are the source of a honey very appreciated in the region. The tree was also used to treat respiratory infections, bacteriological infections and as an anti-inflammatory recognized as very effective. Finally, mixed with vinegar, it was considered for a long time as a remedy for snake bites.

The Neem tree, Azadirachta indica, also called Al Neem in the region. The Neem is a fast growing monoecious tree that can reach up to 20 meters in height. It is very resistant to drought and very high temperatures. The protandrous flowers are white and fragrant and the fruit is an olive-like drupe. The neem has more than 60 different therapeutic uses. For example, it is a powerful disinfectant and is also used to treat blood pressure, diabetes. Its branches are also used as toothbrushes.

prosopis cineraria or simply Ghaf, the "national" tree, from the large mimosa family. Its leaves are used as fodder for dromedaries. This tree also shelters a real ecosystem in the heart of the desert. Its roots draw underground water from a depth of more than 30 meters. The Ghaf, if we believe the elders, has many therapeutic virtues, especially to treat liver problems and relieve pain. Sheikh Zayed, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, had even enacted a law prohibiting the felling of these trees. Most schools, universities, government buildings are home to them since Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum renamed it, the tree of the United Arab Emirates in December 2012. In Dubai there are over 6,000 listed. If you have the opportunity to walk in the desert, you will notice some.

Mangroves: In the coastal lagoons, sheltered from the waves, grow mangroves, locally called Qurm. It is an evergreen tree that reaches 4 m in height. Its branches are gray, its leaves gray and green on the front, and white on the back. Mangroves are very precious plants, which allow the sustenance of certain ecosystems: they are real breeding grounds for marine fauna and their roots prevent soil erosion. Thanks to their rot-proof wood, they have often been transformed into beams for buildings. If you have the opportunity to visit Abu Dhabi, you can walk or kayak through the mangroves and admire the variety of birds that nest there. When the weather is not too hot, you can also see many pink flamingos, right next to the heart of the Emirates' capital. It is a real spectacle offered by nature!