Plants - Oman's food and ancient wealth

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In an arid region like Oman, plants are among the most precious foodstuffs that nature can offer mankind, especially when they also contribute to survival in the hostile environment, such as the date palm, or provide a valuable raw material, such as the frankincense tree.

Following an old custom that is still practised today, a date palm sapling is planted for every newborn son in Oman. As date palms grow to be about the same age as humans, they can save their owners from starvation, as the consumption of just fifteen dates a day is enough to cover a person's need for essential vitamins, minerals and other trace elements. Statistically speaking, there are two date palms for every inhabitant of Oman.

While the date palm ensured the country's physical well-being for thousands of years, another plant ensured the country's economic well-being for a long time: the frankincense tree, whose resin was worth its weight in gold in ancient times and brought wealth.

The Botanical Garden of Oman is currently under construction and will not be open to the public until the end of 2026. It covers an area of 430 hectares and showcases all 1,407 native plant species of Oman in their natural habitats.