The palmery is the green heart of any Saharan oasis and In Salah's is among the larger in the Tidikelt. Tens of thousands of date palms grow in walled plots along the channels fed by the foggaras, with smaller fruit trees and vegetables planted in the cool shade below. In late September and October the dates are harvested — the local varieties are dark and sweet — and the palmery is at its busiest.
Walk in along any of the dirt tracks leading south from the town; the air noticeably cools as you enter the shade. Most plots are private but their owners rarely mind a courteous visitor.