Cocos nucifera L.

Palms varying from ‘dwarfs’ with trunks to 2 m. only when first flowering to tall forms with trunks to 30 m. or more.. Trunk usually somewhat swollen at the base, to 80 cm. in diameter, usually about 40 cm. d.b.h., with conspicuous leaf-scars ± 10–20 cm. distant and commonly with pronounced vertical cracking of the grey surface, especially at the base.. Leaf up to 4–5 m. long; petiole to 2 m. long by 15 cm. wide at the base, adaxially channelled, grey, scurfy hairy when young, bright pale green or golden yellow, or orangey in colour; leaflets single-fold, the longest to 1 m. long, to 2 cm. wide, bright shiny green above, somewhat paler below, main vein usually prominent, pale green or golden yellow.. Inflorescence interfoliar, to 1.5 m., usually less, bearing a prophyll ± 50 cm. long by ± 12 cm. wide, usually remaining between the leaf-sheaths; peduncular bract conspicuous, rather long persistent, narrow, longitudinally striate, woody, brown, ± 1 m. long by 15 cm. wide; peduncle to 40 cm. long; rachillae ± 30 in all, cream-coloured, spreading, the longest at the base, ± 35 cm. long, the shortest the most distal, each with 1–few basal triads and paired or solitary ♂ flowers distally, cream at anthesis.. Male flowers somewhat asymmetric; sepals 3, imbricate, acute, 2 mm. high and 3.5 mm. wide; petals 3, valvate, acute, rather flat, fleshy, ± 13 mm. long by 4 mm. wide; stamens 6, with erect filaments and narrow elongate anthers to 8 mm. long, ± bifid apically; pistillode trifid.. Female flower massive, much larger than the ♂, to 3 cm. in diameter; sepals 3, rounded, imbricate, ± 1.5 cm. wide; petals 3, rounded, ± 2.5 m. wide; ovary rounded, to 2.5 cm. in diameter.. Fruit usually only 1 on each rachilla developing to maturity, massive, with basal persistent calyx and corolla at maturity increasing to 5 cm. long and 7 cm. wide, the whole fruit obovoid, obscurely trigonous, extremely variable; in shape and size, to 25 cm. long by 20 cm. wide or more, usually with only 1 of the 3 carpels developing; mesocarp massive, fibrous; endocarp to 5 mm. thick, extremely hard and woody, with 3 basal ‘eyes’, usually only one functional.. Seed filling the large endocarp cavity, ± 10–15 cm. in diameter; endosperm to 2 cm. thick, lining the endocarp; embryo top-shaped, next to the functional ‘eye’.

A tropical plant. Mainly in coastal areas but occasionally up to 1000 m in the tropics. In Fiji coconut palms rarely fruit above 400 m altitude. Temperatures of 27°-32°C are best with a daily range of 5-7°C. They need a minimum temperature of over 18°C to bear fruit. They need over 1000 mm of rain/year preferably 1500 mm. Soils need to be well drained. It requires plenty of sunlight. Sunlight of 1,800 hours per year gives good growth. It is salt tolerant. It can tolerate soils with pH between 5-8. In Nepal plants grow to 500 m altitude. Coconuts are normally confined to within 26° of the equator. It suits hardiness zones 12. In Yunnan.

The liquid of fresh nuts is drunk. The flesh is eaten, and the "apple" in sprouting nuts is eaten. The flesh is grated and used in cooking as "coconut" milk. The young shoots at the top of the palm can be eaten. This kills the palm. It is fried or added to curries. The sap from the flower stalk can be tapped for the sugary juice. The oil can be extracted from the kernel.

Seeds should be selected from regular bearing palms that produce more than 80 nuts per year. Selected nuts are sprouted in a nursery, then planted out. Seeds that have not germinated within 3 months are usually rejected. Seedlings are ready for transplanting when they have 3-4 leaves (about 1 year). The nut should be planted in a hole 0.6 x 0.6 m. A spacing of about 7-8 m is suitable. Temperatures need to be above 15°C for nuts to germinate.