Everything you need to know about coconut palms

The coconut palm produces a unique, delicious fruit: the coconut. It grows in areas close to the sea and it is of unknown origin. However, experts believe it first grew in Africa, Asia and Central America.

What is the coconut palm?

It is a plant with the following characteristics:

• Palm tree.
• Large leaves.
• It has a long lifespan.
• Very resistant seeds.
• Grows in very different parts of the world.

What are the names for the coconut palm?

Its scientific name is Palmera nucifera and it is a member of the Arecaceae family.

How tall does a coconut palm grow?

Its dimensions reach:

• 30 metres high.
• The trunk is 50-90 centimetres wide.
• Its leaves are 4-5 metres long.

What fruit does the coconut palm produce?

It produces coconuts which are:

• Edible fruits.
• It has a hard external shell and another rough one on the inside.
• It is full of edible, white pulp.

How long does it take a coconut tree to start producing coconuts?

These are the maturity periods:

• Once the flowering buds appear on the palm tree, the coconuts are formed in nine months.
• They are ideally harvested within seven and a half months after they flower.
• When they are completely ripe, they fall off the palm tree.
• The coconuts can be picked around 15 times a year.

How long does it take a coconut palm to grow?

Generally speaking, it takes about five years for this type of palm tree to grow.

Where do coconut palms grow?

They mainly grow in coastal areas of the:

• Indian Ocean.
• Pacific Ocean.
• Caribbean Sea.

If they are cultivated, they can grow in any warm climate in the world.

How often should a coconut palm be watered?

They require an average amount of water, sometimes a lot, depending on the climate. More specifically:

• Once a week in winter.
• Three or four days a week in warmer seasons.

How many years can a coconut palm live?

It lives a long time, up to 100 years.

When should coconut palms be pruned?

In spring, summer and autumn.

When are coconuts harvested?

Between February and July.

How do I tell if a coconut is ready to pick?

In the following cases:

• If the coconut falls from the tree.
• If you can hear coconut water move about inside when you shake it,
• If it sounds hollow when you hit it.

The coconut palm is one of the most commonly found palm trees in the world, although it often attacked by the red palm weevil. At SOSPALM we have an endotherapy treatment, an efficient formula for preventing and eliminating these weevils. It consists of a very small dose of an insecticide in the trunk to eliminate the insect. The preventive treatment consists of eight to ten injections per year and the cure requires four doses every 15 days.