Coconut Tree Identification

Identification

• The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the palm family, -- Palmae -- also referred to as the family Arecaceae. It is a woody perennial with a single trunk that is smooth and light brown or gray in color, and may grow upright or with a slight curve. The coconut palm can achieve a height of between 80 and 100 feet, topped by a crown of leaves that are correctly referred to as fronds.

Foliage

• The leaves of the coconut tree are shaped like feathers and may grow up to 18 feet long and 4 feet wide, providing extensive shade and landscape benefits. Widespread throughout the tropics, the tree is typically found along the sandy shores of the ocean, although it is planted extensively for landscape purposes along thoroughfares, housing developments, and elsewhere. The flowers of the coconut palm are yellow in color and begin to bloom when the tree reaches between 4 and 6 years of age.

Fruit

• The coconut palm is propagated by seed and will begin to fruit between six and 10 years after germination, with full fruit production commencing between 15 and 20 years of age. Fruiting will continue until the tree is approximately 80 years old, with the typical coconut palm providing a bounty of coconuts; between 400 and 500 annually. Each fruit requires approximately one year to reach maturity, with the tree producing coconuts year-round.

Fruit Uses

• The fruit of the coconut palm -- the coconut -- is a hairy, hard-shelled husk that when cracked open, reveals a white collection of fleshy fruit approximately 1-inch thick. The hollow center holds a watery liquid known as coconut milk; the liquid is absorbed and reduced as the fruit ripens. Therefore, green, immature coconuts are harvested by those who wish to utilize the coconut for the purpose of making beverages. The oil of the coconut fruit is also utilized in soaps and shampoos.