Coconut Palm Tree
The Coconut Palm Tree, scientific name Cocos nucifera, is one of the most popular palms in the world. It is also known as Malayan Coconut Palm, Coconut Palm, Green Malayan Palm. It is native to the Malay Archipelago or the South Pacific.
Growth Rate: Fast to Moderate
Height: up to 50 – 60ft
Light Req: full sun
Water Req: moderate
Cold Tolerance: down to 20 – 30F
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Coconut Palm Tree Description
In its native habitat the Coconut Palm grows up to 100 ft, but usually is around 50ft tall and 25ft wide in cultivation. Cocos nucifera has a smooth single gray trunk that is ringed with old leaf scars. Mature palms become smooth with age. Trunk is a little swollen at the base and is usually slightly curved.
It is topped with a crown of 25 – 30 pinnate, or feather-shaped, leaves that can grow up to 18 feet long and 6 feet wide. Leaves are large, about 18ft long and 6ft wide, with 200 leaflets 2ft long. Leaf life span of the leaf may be 2.5 – 3 years, and mature, healthy palms form a new one and drop the oldest one each month.
When about 4-6 years of age, during spring the Coconut Palm starts producing sweet-scented yellow flowers. Flowers grow in clusters and are held by slightly branched stalks. Male and female flowers grow on the same inflorescence. They are generally protandrous, male flowers release pollen before females become receptive.
Flowers are followed by also called “coconuts”. Coconut is one of the most recognizable and most useful fruits in the world. They range in color from green, to yellow, or bronze-gold, to brown depending on maturity and variety. Fruits are oval, 3-angled, 12 inches long and 10 inches wide, with single seed inside. The Coconut Palm seeds are one of the largest of any plant. After maturing it takes a full year for the coconut to ripe.
For more photos click here Coconut Palm Pictures.
Coconut Palm Fruit
Fruits start developing when plant is around 6-10 years old and can grow up to 18 inches long and 15 inches wide. It takes a fruit around 12 months to fully ripe.
Fruit is green color that turns into brown as it matures but some varieties produce yellow fruit that later turns brown. There is a nut inside of the fruit, filled with a layer of white coconut “meat” and sweet watery milk.
Coconut Palm bares fruits all year long with an annual production around 50-200 coconuts per palm tree, depending on growing conditions and palm variety.
Growing Coconut Palm Tree
Coconut Palm likes warm climate and cannot tolerate temperature below 30F without getting injured. It grows best in the moist well drained soil but can tolerate drought. The average temperature should be around 72F with a lot of rainfalls.
The Coconut Palms grow at a fast to moderate rate, depending on the variety and the climate and may live as long as 100 years, producing fruits till 80 years of age.
Coconut fruit is very popular and commonly used all over the world. Coconut oil is used for cooking and in a wide range of beauty products.
Coconut Palm Fertilization
In addition to their attractive look, this unique palm offers low to moderate maintenance. Fertilize 4 times a year in the spring, and in midsummer using slow release fertilizer.
Coconut Palm Propagation
Propagated by seeds. It takes many months for germination to take place. Recommended temperature for faster germination is around 90-100F.
When Coconut seed germinates it breaks through the one of the three germinating holes that you can see on one side of the fruit.
Wait till the plant is 6 months old before transplanting it to the pot or in to the yard. You can plant this palm any time during the year but for the best result I recommend doing it during warm rainy summer months.
Since Coconut Palms like sandy soil add 40% sand to the mix and if you transplanting it in the pot add some rocks to the bottom better drainage. Water right away after planting and apply mulch to help retain soil moist and protect from weed growth. Keep the soil lightly moist.
Coconut Palm Pests and Diseases
“Lethal yellowing” is the most dangers disease for Coconut Palm, that is caused by a tiny organism called a phytoplasma. Early indications are premature dropping of coconuts and blackening of flower stalks.
You will also notice leaves turning yellow, starting with the lower ones and moving to the crown. Coconut Palm usually doesn’t live more than 6 months after showing first evidence of the disease.
This Palm might experience difficulties with few including spider mites, scale, palm aphid and mealybugs.
Buy Coconut Palm Tree Today
We don’t sell palm trees on this site, but you can buy it from one of my favorite sites – Real Palm Trees.com. It has beautiful palm trees at discounted prices and offers a Free Shipping. This is one of the few sites that I trust, because each palm tree comes with Certificate of Authenticity that guarantees highest quality of the tree. All of their palm trees are properly grown and acclimatized to the correct hardiness zone.
Most importantly, you will receive a tree in perfect health and wouldn’t have to worry about it dying few weeks later. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee or you money back. To purchase a Coconut Palm Tree, click on one of the links below:
Buy Large Malayan Coconut Palm – Only $529.95!
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A lot of palm trees die from fertilizer root burn and nutritional deficiencies. To avoid these problems, use fertilizer that has continues release formula, which feeds your palm tree for few months, rather than using a cheap fertilizer that will wash away after 2-3 rains.
I personally use 
hi, is it possible to grow a coconut palm tree in a dry area like Southern California?
what would I have to do?
Thanks for your advice
Any suggestions on how to open the Coconut?
Nutrition facts?
How to consume?
Yes, I'm a coconut dummy.
Try it, but protect from anything close to 32f and do not water much in winter. Most people will tell you it will die, as most of them do here in california. There is one that has been in Newport beach, CA for about 23 years and has a trunk, but that one is onje of the very few that actually survive longer than 3 years. Problem is the pro-longed cool weather. Coconuts like it warm. Most places that are warm enough in winter lack the summer warmth they love and enjoy. I say go for it anyways. good luck.