It has been introduced to southeastern China, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Puerto Rico and the Leeward Islands.

[1] Growing in plains and scrubland up to 1300 m above sea level, the fruit from this palm species is used to make wine and jelly.

The fresh sap is boiled to make palm jaggery in West Bengal state of India and Bangladesh.

Phoenix sylvestris ranges from 4 to 15 m in height and 40 cm in diameter; not as large as the Canary Island Date Palm, but nearly so, and resembling it.

The inflorescence grows to 1 metre with white, unisexual flowers forming to a large, pendent infructescence.