The Judean Date Tree is an ancient species of date palm. It is so ancient, in fact, that it is mentioned in the Quran and the Bible. It was said to contain strong medicinal properties that bordered on miraculous and could cure tuberculosis and cancer. It was also the staple food source for the Kingdom of Judea. Unfortunately, this amazing tree went extinct, probably due to the high demand placed on it.

In the 1960’s, some Judean Date seeds were found during an archaeological excavation of Masada, an ancient fortress on the Dead Sea. Scientists decided to attempt to germinate the seeds and turned them over to a plant specialist at the Arava Institute of the Environment in Kibbutz Ketura, Israel.

The seeds were planted after being pre-treated with hormone solutions and fertilizer. Miraculously, one of the seeds germinated and was named Methuselah, a person from the Bible who was the oldest person alive at that time. In 2011, the tree bore its first bloom and continues to thrive. Experts believe the tree will bear fruit by 2022.