Coconut Tree: Complete Care And Growing Guide

How To Grow And Care For A Coconut Tree

The coconut palm gives the biggest tropical bang for your buck of any other plant. It is highly valued as a landscape ornamental but is also an important commercial crop in many warm-weather countries. Copra, dried coconut meat from the fruit, is used to make coconut oil, a standard ingredient of soap, shampoo, cosmetics, cooking oils, and margarine.

This large palm grows with a single, light-brown columnar trunk, swollen at the base, topped with fronds. Tall varieties can shoot up to 100 feet, while dwarf varieties are more appropriate for small gardens.

QUICK FACTS:

• Botanical name: Cocos nucifera
• Height: to 100 Feet
• Spread: to 40 Feet
• Sun exposure: Full sun
• Soil requirements: Moderately fertile, humusy, moist, well-drained soils
• Hardiness zones: 10 - 12
• When to plant: Sow seeds in spring, transplant when it is warm and rainy.

Coconut Tree Care

If you are wondering how to grow a coconut tree, its important to first understand the plant’s cultural requirements.

• Light Coconut palm trees require direct sun, and generally, the more the better for fruiting.
• Water Coconut plants require a continuous supply of water to keep the soil moist, and this can be partially provided by rainfall. But note that th e coconuts cannot tolerate water logging.
• Temperature & Humidity Needs a minimum temperature of 64 degrees F. to produce fruit.
• Soil For the best growth, plant your coconut tree in well-drained soil. It should also be fertile and moist.
• Fertilizer If you don’t give your coconut palm fertilizer, you are likely to see nutritional deficiencies. Feed it regularly with a "palm special" fertilizer. Look for one that includes the N, K, and Mg in a controlled-release form so that these nutrients will not quickly leach out. Apply fertilizer with a rotary spreader and cover all soil beneath the canopy of the palm.
• Problems, Pests & Diseases Look out for the leafhopper. This insect spreads the serious disease of lethal yellowing. It has already killed thousands of coconut palms in Florida. Look for a resistant variety if you are just planting. Other pests can be problems too, like the palm leaf skeletonizer, aphids, nematodes, spider mites, and scale.

How to Plant a Coconut Tree

If you are growing a coconut palm from seed, plant it in spring. However, in mild climates, transplant them in the warmest, rainiest summer months. If you are transplanting, drop the new plant an inch (2.5 cm) below the soil's surface. Water right away and apply a few inches of mulch. Provide an inch of water every week immediately after planting.

Apply a few inches (7 cm) of mulch to the surface to help retain moisture and avoid extra weduring their first year, unless they get this much from rainfall.

Pruning

Coconut plants do not require much pruning. However, prune out diseased or infected branches.

Propagation

Coconut trees are propagated only and exclusively from seed, that is, the coconut itself. Seeds are ready for planting when you hear coconut water sloshing around inside the coconut if you shake it. Plant them on their sides, buried ⅔ in sand or mulch.

Harvesting

The coconuts ripen all year long, with a harvest every few months. The ripe nuts are harvested directly from the tree rather than being allowed to fall to the ground. -They are considered ripe when the coconut water sloshes around inside when shaken.

How to Grow a Coconut Tree in a Pot

It is possible to grow a coconut tree in a container. To do so, plant it so that the bottom of the stem and top of the root system are about an inch below the surface of the soil. Water immediately and frequently until the tree’s root system is well established. Repot when the tree outgrows its pot.

Overwintering

The advantage of growing a dwarf coconut plant in a pot is that you can overwinter it indoors. Be sure the tree gets adequate sunlight.

Coconut Tree Varieties

You will find more than a few varieties of coconut plants available in commerce. A few popular trees include:

• West Coast Tall Coconut (a drought-tolerant tree that bears fruit in 6 or 7 years)
• Maypan Coconut (cold-hardy variety, producing medium to large-sized coconuts.)
• Tiptur Tall Coconut (considered one of the best coconut varieties to grow.)
• Orange Dwarf Coconut (produces fruit in 3-4 years.)
• Green Dwarf Coconut (fruits in 3 or 4 years)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where Do Coconuts Grow?

They grow in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. In this country, the coconut palm tree grows in southern Florida, the southern tip of Texas, and Hawaii. However, California has less luck. While coconut palms grow in southern California, they do not generally thrive there.

What Is the Difference Between a Palm Tree and a Coconut Tree?

All coconut trees are palm trees, but not all palm trees are coconuts. The plant family Aracaceae includes all palm trees, including Cocos nucifera, the sole species in the Cocos genus and the sole palm to bear coconuts.

How Long Does It Take a Coconut Tree to Bear Fruit?

The coconut tree will start fruiting about 6–10 years after the seed germinates. It only reaches full production after 20 years.