Native to coastal areas of the tropical islands in the Central Indo-Pacific region, this evergreen tree is a member of the palm family, Arecaceae, palmettos. The plant grows up to 100′ tall and has a single smooth branchless trunk that is light gray, swollen at the base, and is often curved. Pinnate leaves 13-20′ long form a crown at the top of the trunk and remain on the tree for about 2.5-3 years. Each leaf arches downward and is composed of leaflets 2-3′ long. Periodically, throughout the year, 12-14 elongated clusters of small fragrant yellow male and female flowers appear. Female flowers give way to a single seeded fruit up to 14″ that is technically a drupe not a nut as the name coconut implies. The coconut has a fibrous husk around a woody shell that contains the soft coconut “meat”, milk, and oil. The oil is used for cooking, cosmetics, and soap, the liquid inside green coconuts provides coconut water, the growing tip is eaten as “heart of palm”, and various parts of the plant are a source of fiber, animal feed, fuel, and timber. Many varieties of coconut palm exist that differ primarily in plant size, growth rate, color of fruits, sweetness of milk, and flavor of coconut water. Coconut palm grows best in warm humid climates and is salt tolerant and very wind tolerant. It is an excellent choice for coastal gardens and beach restoration projects. The genus name, Cocos, is from the Portuguese word coco meaning head or skull referring to the 3 indentations on the coconut shell that suggest facial features. The specific epithet, nucifera, are from the Latin words nux meaning nut, and ferre, meaning to bear, and incorrectly refers to the fruit.
Type: Evergreen tree
Outstanding Features: Fruit, foliage, stems
Form: Umbrella-like canopy
Growth Rate: Moderate
Bloom: Clusters of small fragrant yellow male and female flowers periodically throughout the year
Size: 50-100′ H
Light: Full sun
Soil: Average to sandy, medium moist, well-drained
Hardiness: Zones 10-12
Care: Remove dead leaves, fertilize in spring summer and fall
Pests and Diseases: Aphids, nematodes, scale, spider mites, rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) , palm weevils (Rhynchophorus spp.), Setora nitens, Zeuxippa catoxantha
Propagation: Seed
Outstanding Selections: Many varieties available
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Karen Meyers