How coconuts grow. Description of the palm tree. Coconut tree (Cocus nucifera) Coconut tree

A coconut tree growing in a large tub looks very exotic. Complements any interior, representing bright accent. But to grow it at home, you need to know the features of caring for this plant. Let's look at how to plant a coconut tree in a flowerpot and the nuances of its propagation. In the article you will find detailed descriptions stages of growing and photographs of the plant.

The coconut palm is the only representative of the Coconut genus. In the natural environment (tropics and subtropics) many varieties of this plant grow. For example, subspecies of coconut:

viridis, which has green fruits;
tall - typica;
dwarf forms - nana.

Coconut palm in natural conditions

Ornamental low-growing palm trees have also been bred, producing inedible yellow fruits. Varietal forms have nuts of various shades, the most common are:

Brown.
Green.
Orange.
Yellow, etc.

Types of Coconuts

You can see the variety of appearance of coconuts in the photo. The fruits differ not only in color, but also in shape; they can be oval, teardrop-shaped, round, pear-shaped, elongated, etc. The size of the nut and the kernel inside it also directly depends on the variety.

Important. In nature, the coconut palm reaches 30 m in height. But at home, it will grow no more than 6 m. To grow in a tub, you must try to find a specially bred low-growing form that can please the eye for many years. Whereas the tall variety will live at home for no more than 7 years.

Coconut tree propagation, germination and planting

Reproduction occurs by seeds, i.e. The fruit of the coconut tree itself germinates. Only shelled nuts are suitable for planting. Stores sell already shelled coconuts. The top layers - exocarp and coir - are always removed before the product hits the counter. This valuable raw material is used in industry.

Planting a coconut

To get a coconut palm sprout, you must have a ripe fruit that has not been processed. The photo clearly shows what a viable nut looks like. Coconuts with a large supply of juice inside germinate best. If you shake it, you can hear a gurgling sound. Before planting, the fruit must be soaked in water for at least 2-3 days. This creates conditions that are as close as possible to the natural environment when it swims in the ocean.

Important. Coconuts can travel across the ocean for more than a year. At the same time, their ability to germinate is not lost. And as soon as the wave hits the fruit on the sandy shore, a sprout will appear.

A coconut can only hatch at a temperature of about 30 °C. Air humidity should also be high. This is a very long process, it can take up to six months. Suitable conditions for germination can be created in a greenhouse or greenhouse. After the sprout appears, the fruit is placed in a tub with soil. The substrate is covered only bottom part, and the top of the nut should be above ground level. Imitating natural conditions. In their natural environment, coconut palms grow well in sand, but they can also grow in other soils.

Coconut tree sprout

To grow at home, the substrate must be soft and loose. It is good to use universal flower soil, diluted 1:1 with coarse sand. You can add peat and humus. The optimal diameter of the planting container is approximately twice the size of the fruit itself. Be sure to install a drainage layer and holes to allow excess moisture to escape.

Sprouting coconut requires patience and special conditions. If you don’t want to do this, you can always purchase young plant decorative variety at the garden center.

Features of care

This tropical plant must be kept in a well-lit place. But it is advisable to protect it from direct sunlight, since constant exposure causes the leaves to curl and dry out. A spacious, bright hall or balcony, slightly shaded, is suitable if it faces south side. In rooms where there is not enough light, you will have to additionally artificially illuminate the young palm tree. The temperature should not drop below 15 °C; colder conditions threaten the palm tree with death.

A constant level of humidity is very important for the plant.

The plant needs humid air, ideally 75%. The heating system dries it out a lot. Therefore, in winter time provide additional air humidification in the room. When spraying, you need to try to ensure that the water does not fall on the nut, but only irrigates the leaves.

Constant watering is vital for the coconut tree. After all, in its homeland it grows on the coasts of seas and oceans. The earthen clod should not be allowed to dry out completely. A young plant, especially if it is in a clay pot, is watered every day. The first 3-4 years require annual transplants. When placing the palm tree in a new, larger container, you need to preserve the earthen lump. At the age of 5 years or more, instead of transplanting, high-quality humus is added to the soil surface.

Important. An integral part of caring for a coconut tree growing in a tub is pruning. Remove broken, dried leaves. But leaf blades that have changed their color, darkened or slightly yellowed are left behind. Because the plant extracts the necessary nutritional compounds from them.

Fertilizers, fertilizing, typical diseases and pests

The coconut tree grows very slowly, consuming large amounts of nutrients. And although from a biological point of view the plant is undemanding in terms of soil composition, due to lack of space at home it must be fertilized. For this it is recommended to use organic matter. To receive best result, it is better to feed every month.

It is advisable to start fertilizing in the spring. Continue to do this regularly throughout the summer. And in the fall, gradually reduce feeding so that it is stopped in winter. During this period mature plant It is better to leave it alone, reducing not only nutrition, but also irrigation.

To develop a palm tree in an apartment, the plant needs regular feeding.

Insufficiently careful and thoughtful care of the plant provokes the occurrence of diseases. Overwatering promotes the development of fungal infections, under the influence of which root system capable of rotting. In potted cultivation, the coconut palm is affected by a number of pests, the most common of which are:

Scale insects;
Spider mites;
Mealybugs;
Thrips;
False shields.

To combat these insects, insecticides are used, the use of which is permitted indoors.

Growing and caring for a coconut palm at home is quite labor-intensive and time-consuming. But having received a healthy, beautiful specimen, you can rightfully be proud of it. Such an exotic plant is extremely attractive, decorative and unusual. It will definitely amaze guests and delight the hosts.

How to grow a palm tree in your home: video

Tropical plants have long ceased to be a rarity in our interiors. And we are talking not only about flowers or vines, but also about real trees. For example, a coconut tree at home can become the main decoration of the design. Anyone can grow it on their own; the main thing is to know the specifics of germination, follow the rules of planting and care, and understand that not everyone can get a beautiful plant.

The coconut palm, or Cocos nucifera, belongs to the genus Coconut, the Palm family, and is considered one of the most widespread plants on planet Earth. Her homeland is Malaysia. Under natural growing conditions, the Nucifera coconut grows up to 30 meters in height, the leaves of the tree reach 6 meters in length, and its lifespan can exceed 100 years.
The indoor coconut palm is more modest in size and grows slowly in an apartment. It has long, sparse leaves grouped in pairs, which form a frond directly from the nut. The fruit, half hidden in the ground, is in a planting pot.

Indoor coconut palms look very attractive: the contrast between the half-buried nut, from which at first a slender and small tree rises, and then an increasingly elegant and interesting tree, adds to its decorativeness.

For cultivation at home, of all varieties of this exotic tree, the following are mainly used:

Nut-bearing coconut (Cocos nucifera). It is a real coconut palm, differing from it only in its smaller size (indoors it grows up to 3 meters in height). The leaves are bright green, glossy, large.
Green coconut (Cocos nucifera viridis). It differs from the second option (as the name suggests) mainly in the color of the fruit. They are not brown, but green.
Weddel coconut (Syagrus weddeliana). This is not exactly a coconut, but only its closest relative. A small tree, many even mistake it for a flower, with leaves that are deep green on the front side and silvery on the back, the ends of which are down.

They grow a tropical beauty from a seed. More precisely, from a coconut - a spherical or oval drupe, covered with a thin but durable shell on the outside and a hard shell on the inside. Its length can reach 30 centimeters and its weight exceeds 2 kilograms. In addition, coconut palm seeds include a fleshy layer, the thickness of which is 1.2 millimeters, and coconut water. As the fruit ripens, it turns into milk and gradually hardens.

If we talk about how to grow a coconut at home, then most often a young palm tree is purchased ready-made, in a pot, since the process of its germination is quite lengthy. Not everyone has enough patience for him. And the main attention should be paid to care. In this case, it is especially important to protect the part of the coconut located above the soil surface from rotting. To do this, you need to make sure that no moisture gets on it during watering or spraying.

Coconut propagation: germination and preparation for planting

Coconut palms reproduce by seed (from seed) and shoots. The second method of coconut propagation is very rare, when an adult palm tree produces a daughter shoot. The main and almost only method of propagation at home is to grow a palm tree from an ordinary coconut (seed method).

You can buy coconut palm seeds (suitable fruit) in the store. The fruit must be unprocessed and its outer shell must not be damaged. Only a mature coconut full of liquid can germinate. Its presence can be easily determined by the characteristic gurgling sound, which is clearly audible if the fruit is shaken.

Only shelled nuts are suitable for planting. Stores sell already shelled coconuts. The top layers - exocarp and coir - are always removed before the product reaches the counter. This valuable raw material is used in industry.

Before planting the seed fruit on permanent place it needs to be germinated. There are 3 holes in the coconut shell for planting and germination - these are germination pores. They look like small depressions in the shell. Only one of them will be active, and the other two will be overgrown.

To germinate coconut, it is first soaked for 2-3 days in warm water. Then they are placed on a damp substrate (peat or sand) in a greenhouse or container, buried halfway and kept at a temperature of 24-25 °C. This temperature is closest to natural and optimal for germination. The nut must be placed horizontally, so that the sprout pores are on the side.

To speed up the germination process, it is recommended to keep the substrate moist. The nut itself can be periodically sprayed with warm, slightly salted water. Sea salt should be used. The container in which the nut is germinated can be wrapped plastic bag to create a greenhouse effect inside (the required temperature and humidity) and do not forget to open it daily for ventilation, otherwise the fruit may become moldy. In this way, they imitate the conditions natural for coconut germination in its habitat.

If everything is done correctly, after a certain time the nut will give roots, and green sprouts will appear from the seed. A fresh, mature nut takes 1 to 2 months to germinate. But in principle, this process can take six months. If after 5-6 months the sprouts have not appeared, it means that the fruit was unripe and there is no point in waiting any longer for it to sprout.

How to plant a coconut in a pot

After palm shoots from the coconut appear with the first 2-3 leaves, the sprouted fruit can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Before planting a coconut tree in the soil, you need to choose the “right” pot. It should be wide, twice the volume of the nut. There should be drainage holes in the bottom so that excess water can drain out. Accordingly, a pallet is also required. If there are no such holes, you will have to make them yourself.

Sprouting coconut requires patience and special conditions. If you don’t want to do this, you can always purchase a young plant of an ornamental variety at a garden center.

A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the pot (shards or expanded clay are suitable), and a substrate is poured on top. The soil should be loose and well-drained and not acidic. The best option is special land for indoor plants mixed with sand or light loam, humus, peat mixture, sand and charcoal in a ratio of 2:2:1:1:1. Soil for tropical plants should not be sour.

Before planting sprouted coconut, the soil must be moistened. The sprouted nut is buried halfway into the soil, in the same position and to the same depth as during germination. That is, only the lower part is covered with the substrate, and the upper part remains on its surface. There is no need to separate the sprout from the nut. A young palm tree uses its stored nutrients during the first 3 years of growth.

As the tree grows and develops, its lower branches begin to die off. New ones are formed at the top of the main stem. This is how the trunk is formed over time. It is smooth, straight, and can bend slightly to the side. The trunk is surrounded by scars left by fallen leaves.

For a tropical tree you should choose suitable place in the house. Best option– winter garden or greenhouse. But the plant can also feel comfortable on the windowsill, especially if it faces south. It is important that it receives enough light and moisture and does not suffer from cold.

Caring for a Potted Coconut Tree

To decorate the interior of your home with a beautiful exotic guest, you will have to surround her with tireless care, which is not easy. Caring for a coconut tree comes down to a few basic aspects.

Lighting

The coconut tree needs bright and continuous light all year round. Therefore, it is recommended to keep it on a southern windowsill, and when daylight hours become shorter, use additional lighting. If the light falls on a coconut tree from only one angle, its crown will form asymmetrically. To avoid this, the tub with the plant should be rotated 2 times a month.

Better lighting- scattered. Direct rays of the sun can burn a young palm tree, so in the middle of the day you should avoid direct sunlight and, although shade is contraindicated for coconut, partial shade is quite acceptable. As the tropical guest grows older, it becomes more tolerant of the persistent effects of the hot sun and in this regard, caring for it becomes easier.

Room temperature

A guest from tropical latitudes feels comfortable only in warmth. The optimal air temperature in the room where it grows varies between +23 - + 280 C and should not fall below this mark. At the same time, the palm tree needs an influx fresh air, so it is important to provide it with regular ventilation.

If the air temperature drops to +16 °C and below, palm growth will stop. The plant will withstand a short-term drop to 0 degrees, but sub-zero temperature guaranteed to die.

Watering

In the process of caring for coconut, it is important to strictly adhere to the watering regime. Short-term or long-term drought is just as detrimental to coconut as excessive moisture.

The frequency of watering depends on the time of year:

From mid-spring to late summer, it is important to prevent the soil from drying out. The soil in the pot should always be moist at this time;
from early autumn to late winter, the plant is watered as the soil dries.

It is important that the air in the room is always humid. The best way the solution to this problem will be drip irrigation, as well as installing a special humidifier. You can also prepare a solution sea salt and periodically moisten the air with it. For any water procedures, you can only use soft, settled water at room temperature.

Feeding

Excessive feeding of the coconut palm is not required, but it should not be neglected. With a lack of nutrients, coconut loses its decorative appearance.

The feeding scheme can be chosen from two options:

Once a year, in early spring, place granulated fertilizer into the substrate. Over the course of a year, it will slowly dissolve, releasing the beneficial substances the palm tree needs into the soil.
From the beginning of April to the end of August, once every 3 weeks, feed the plant with a specialized solution for palm trees.

Trimmings

There is no need to artificially form a crown or trim the leaves of a coconut tree. The need for cutting arises only if the leaf is completely dry or broken.
Leaves that turn yellow, dry out, or change color do not need to be removed. Until they completely dry out, the plant takes nutrients from them. To maintain decorativeness, you can trim off the shrunken ends if they have turned brown, and it is better to leave the leaf itself.

The palm tree does not need to form a crown, but it is necessary to clean the plant of dried leaves. It is important to remove only completely dry ones, without touching those that are just beginning to change color.

How to replant a coconut tree at home

Periodically, the coke palm is transplanted into a larger pot. There may be several reasons to transplant a tropical beauty. And each of them has its own characteristics.

As you grow

You can determine that the plant has become cramped in the pot by the following signs:

The palm tree stops growing.
Water stagnates in a tub on the surface of the substrate.
The roots are sticking out.

Young plants are usually replanted once a year, in April. By this time, the coconut, as a rule, has fully adapted to the new growing conditions. The soil around the roots and the shell are preserved. Adult palm trees that have dropped their nuts require replanting once every 2-3 years.

When the palm tree becomes 5-6 years old, replanting is stopped, and instead, high-quality humus is added to a tub on the surface of the soil.

New pot should exceed the old one in volume by at least 5-6 centimeters (15-20% more than the previous one in volume). The transplantation procedure is standard: the tree, along with a lump of old soil, is transferred to another container and the free volume is filled with new soil. To prevent damage to the coconut, this must be done carefully, without damaging the trunk and roots. When transferring a coconut palm from one pot to another, it is also important to ensure that the nut goes no more than halfway into the soil.

If the plant is purchased already grown in a pot, its replanting at home is planned for the coming spring. In the future, it can be replanted according to the standard scheme - once every 2 years.

To replace soil

If the substrate has deteriorated or become too old, which, in general, is the same thing, the palm tree also needs to be replanted. The poor condition of the soil can be determined by the white coating on the surface, unpleasant smell, poor water absorption.

In this case, the pot is taken the same size. You can leave the old pot, after washing it and treating it with an antifungal solution.

If the plant rots

It looks like this: the soil in the pot is moist, even if it is not watered, the trunk easily becomes loose; the soil is constantly wet, the palm tree emits an unpleasant odor, and its trunk staggers from a light touch.

The first thing to do in this case is to cut off the rotting roots. During such a transplant, you also don’t have to change the pot or take another container of the same size.

Diseases and pests of homemade coconut

Coconuts at home most often suffer from various types rot, mealybugs, as well as spider mites and scale insects. If growing techniques are followed, diseases and pests rarely affect coconuts. As a rule, the catalyst for their development is improper watering.

There are few serious diseases in coconut palms, these are:

Phytoplasma infection. This is an incurable disease. It can be diagnosed by appearance crown - it turns yellow from bottom to top. It will not be possible to save the palm tree; it will have to be burned.
Pink and black rot (spore damage). The tree becomes weak, leaves and shoots begin to rot. If the process is neglected, the trunk also rots. Depending on the type of infection, putrefactive masses are dark brown, black or pink.

If the coconut tree is maintained correctly, problems rarely occur, but any disturbances in humidity and temperature become catalysts for the development of diseases and the proliferation of pests.

Homemade coconut owners may also encounter the following problems:

The leaves are withering. This may be due to the temperature being too low. environment.
The leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out. To prevent the coconut from turning yellow, it is important to follow the watering regime.
The tree is not growing. Palm tree growth may stop due to improper fertilization or too small a pot.
Curling of leaves. Occurs with excess or deficiency of moisture.

Growing a coconut tree at home is not an easy task, but it is incredibly exciting. Tropical beauty is a demanding and capricious plant. But if you strictly follow the rules of care, she will live in your apartment for a long time, and even in the coldest winters, next to her you will be as if on a warm sea coast.

How to open, cut, cut a coconut at home

Palms of the coconut subfamily.

Where do coconut trees grow? They grow not only on the coast, but also in dry areas of the tropical zone.

Is it possible to grow a coconut tree at home? Only two species are grown at home coconuts

Weddel. Dwarf palm from the forests of Brazil. It grows slowly, rarely exceeding 2 m. A very elegant tree that can be grown in a small apartment. To fully highlight the charm of the Weddel coconut, surround it with a white background.

Nut-bearing. Coconut is distributed throughout the tropical coast. It grows slowly, but can reach a height of up to 5 m. It is better not to grow this species in small apartments; it is more suitable for greenhouses and spacious winter gardens.

Caring for coconut at home

Features of care after purchase. Buy only healthy plants. The leaves should be a uniform green color. Special attention Pay attention to the growth bud; if it is damaged, the palm tree will die. If there is an unpleasant odor from the coconut, refuse to purchase it, and similarly discard specimens with damage to the trunk. Often the roots are in a bag or small container, in which case the palm tree must be immediately transplanted into a large pot.

Lighting. A guest from a tropical zone is accustomed to sunlight and equal lengths of day and night. In winter, in northern latitudes, the palm tree does not have enough lighting. Turn on bright lamps so that the “day” is at least 12 hours long.

Place the plant near a south-facing window and provide light shade two hours before and after noon during the summer months. If the leaves begin to curl and turn yellow, it may be sunburn, hang tulle on the window.

If you don’t want to have a lopsided plant with leaves pointing in one direction, turn it with the other side towards the window twice a month.

Bloom. Don't expect exotic flowers and tasty fruits from your homemade coconut. Such processes occur only on native soil. In nature, a palm tree shoots out a long shoot from the top, on which clusters of small flowers turn yellow.

Temperature. In summer, it is advisable to keep the palm tree at 25-28⁰; in winter, a slight decrease in temperature is acceptable, but not colder than 18⁰.

Humidity. In nature, coconut palms grow along the shores of seas and oceans and are accustomed to high air humidity of about 80%. The air in the apartment is much drier.

Spray the plant daily and wipe the leaves with a damp cloth. Since humans and palm trees need different humidity regimes, it is better to grow coconut in greenhouses or winter gardens.

Watering. Observe the soil, it serves as an indicator that the plant needs watering. In summer top layer The soil should be slightly moist; in winter, let the soil dry out a little. Excessive moisture may cause the plant to die, so take soil preparation seriously. If the composition is chosen correctly, excess water will not linger in it.

Fertilizers. In winter, the plant rests; one feeding per month is enough to maintain vital activity. In summer, during the period of intensive growth, it is necessary to fertilize twice as often with a special composition for palm trees.

Don't want to bother with fertilizing often? Buy long-acting granular fertilizer; one fertilizing will last for the whole season.

Transfer. The roots of the palm tree need a lot of space and should be replanted every year. Best time for this work - mid-spring. Take a container 10% larger than the previous one, remove the palm tree with a lump of earth from the container, remove some of the felt roots.

It is very important to plant the palm tree at the same depth as before replanting. If you accidentally expose or damage the roots, cut off half the leaves, otherwise the weakened root system will not be able to supply them with moisture.

It is better to use special soil for palm trees. If you don't find one for sale, make it yourself. Mix in equal parts:

turf land,
humus,
leaf soil,
peat,
perlite,
tree bark.

In nature, palm trees grow on sand, you can use it without other additives, but then the soil needs to be well fertilized, since sand has no nutrients.

Trimming. The palm tree does not need regular pruning; only completely dead or broken leaves need to be removed. Do not cut off leaves that have begun to change color; the plant receives nutrients from them. Only dried feather tips can be removed.

Growing a palm tree from a nut

How to grow a coconut tree from a coconut? To do everything right, need to know How coconuts reproduce in their homeland.

Palm trees grow on the ocean shore and drop nuts into the water. The fruits of the coconut palm are covered with a thick fibrous shell and contain some air inside, so they are able to stay on the water and float to a new place.

Coconuts must be fresh; store-bought fruit is unlikely to sprout. If you decide to take a risk– shake the selected nut, take the one in which you can hear the splashing of liquid. Buy fruit only with a fibrous shell. Soak the coconut for a day in warm water, then plant it in a pot.

Landing position The nut itself will tell you: place it on the table, as it is positioned, place it on the ground. There is no need to bury it completely; cover up to half of the coconut with soil.

Be patient, the nut will germinate when you have already lost all hope, perhaps in six months. Don’t be surprised that instead of a tree you will only see a bunch of leaves for a long time. This is not a defect; the trunk will appear when the plant matures.

Diseases and pests

Palm trees may be damaged mealybug, mites and scale insects. If you notice pests, treat the plant with insecticides.

Sometimes coconuts develop black or pink rot. For treatment, treat the plant with fungicides once a week. The best disease prevention is proper care; strong palm trees usually do not get sick.

Watch the coconut tree itself will report your errors:

The leaves turn yellow or their tips have turned brown - there is not enough moisture.
Brown spots appear on the leaves - the tree is cold or the soil is waterlogged.

Let the palm tree not bloom and produce nuts. You can buy coconuts in the store, and sit under a tropical tree and enjoy the exotic taste of overseas fruits.

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Coconut palm tree... and now in front of my eyes is the seashore with a palm tree slightly leaning towards the water. Let's take a closer look at this symbol of a serene beach holiday.

From botany to practice

(Cocos nucifera)- the only representative of the Coconut genus (Cocos) family Arecaceae, or Palmaceae ( Arecaceae, or Palmaceae). Such uniqueness in itself is remarkable, as if nature took care to distinguish this plant from all others.

The place of origin of the coconut palm has not been precisely established - it is assumed that its homeland was Southeast Asia (Malaysia). The plant's habitat has expanded significantly thanks to the efforts of people and the spread of fruits with the help of river and sea currents. Now coconut palms occupy about 5 million hectares of land, of which more than 80% are in Southeast Asia.

Coconuts can remain viable for 110 days in salted water. sea water, during this time the fruit can be carried by the current 5000 km from its native shores. Thanks to the ability of coconuts to tolerate significant soil salinity, they can take root directly on the seashore, where no other tree can survive.

The coconut palm is a tree 25-30 m high with a smooth trunk with ring scars from fallen leaves, usually slightly inclined to one side. The trunk, 15-45 cm thick in diameter, is usually slightly expanded at the base (up to 60 cm) due to the supply of useful substances. Thickening of the trunk with age in palm trees does not occur due to the absence of a cambial layer (as in all monocots) and, therefore, the absence of wood growth in the form of annual rings.

The main root of the palm tree dies, and its function is performed by many lateral adventitious roots, originating from the thickening of the base of the trunk. Horizontal roots go 0.5 m into the ground, and vertical roots reach a depth of 8 m. Adventitious roots live for about 10 years, after which they are replaced by new ones. They, like the trunk, are uniform along the entire length and do not have secondary thickening, which is typical for monocots. A dye is made from the roots of the coconut tree.

The leaves of the palm are huge, pinnately dissected, up to 5-6 m long and up to 1.5 m wide, attached directly to the trunk. The weight of such a sheet reaches 12-14 kg. The leaf consists of 200-250 leaflets, each up to 80 cm long and up to 3 cm wide. The leaf grows for about a year and dies after three years. Its base encloses almost the entire trunk, providing a strong attachment that can withstand strong sea winds. About once a month another one appears on the tree. new leaf, unless unfavorable conditions delay its formation for 2-3 months. On average, a palm tree has 20 to 35 leaves. Palm leaves are used to weave everything that can be woven: from roofs and mats to handbags and jewelry.

In favorable conditions, the coconut tree blooms all year round. Every 3-6 weeks, inflorescences appear in the leaf axils in the form of an axillary panicle up to 2 m long, collected from spikelets with male and female flowers. Female flowers in the form of yellow peas 2-3 cm in size are placed in the lower part of the spikelets closer to the base, which ensures more reliable fastening of the fruits. Their number reaches several hundred. Male flowers are located in the upper part of the spikelets, which allows them to expand the pollination zone. The number of male flowers many times exceeds the number of female flowers. It is typical for vigorous varieties cross pollination, while for dwarf varieties, the height of which in adulthood reaches no more than 10 m, self-pollination is required. There are usually 6-12 ovaries remaining in the inflorescence. Good harvest It is considered if 3-6 fruits ripen from them per year.

By cutting off the top of the unopened inflorescence, sweet palm sap containing 14.6% sugar is collected. Brown crystalline raw jaggery is obtained by evaporation. Juice left in the sun quickly ferments, turning into vinegar within 24 hours. With slow fermentation, coconut wine is obtained; it has a low alcohol content, while having a refreshing and invigorating effect. It tastes similar to light table grape wine.

To get the harvest sooner

The coconut palm begins to bear fruit at the age of 6 years, gradually increasing its yield to a maximum by 15 years and reducing it only after 50-60 years due to the aging of the tree. Mature tree produces an average of about 100 fruits per year; under favorable conditions, the yield can be increased to 200 fruits per tree.

As a result of long-term cultivation of the coconut palm, a large number of varieties were created, which are divided into 2 groups: vigorous (regular) and low-growing (dwarf). They differ significantly in biological and production characteristics.

Withdrawn dwarf varieties have a shorter productive period - 30-40 years, but the first fruits appear on them in the 4th year of life, when the tree is only 1 meter tall. By the age of 10, a coconut tree can produce its maximum yield. The fruits of dwarf palms are smaller than those of vigorous palms, but harvesting from a maximum height of 10 m is much easier than from trees 20-25 m high.

The fruits of vigorous varieties have a round, almost spherical shape, about 30-40 cm in diameter and weighing up to 3 kg. Falling from a height of 20 m, they acquire terrible destructive power. Harvesting takes place all year round at intervals of 2 months. An experienced picker can collect up to 1,500 nuts a day, to do this he needs to masterfully wield a long pole with a knife at the end. A less productive method of collecting involves climbing palm trees to a height of 20 m. On the plantations of Fr. Samui (Thailand), where the supply of coconuts reaches 40 thousand pieces per year, began to use trained monkeys for harvesting, each of which is able to collect twice as many nuts as a person due to the speed of climbing. The collection of coconuts by monkeys has become an attraction for tourists, which provides additional income for the plantations.

From shell to kernel

Harvested coconuts, like all other parts of this extremely useful palm tree, are used in their entirety: from shell to kernel. Europeans are used to seeing brown furry balls in supermarkets, but coconuts on a palm tree look completely different. The fruit is covered with a dense, smooth green shell, which may turn slightly yellow or red over time. Botanists call this outer shell an exocarp. Underneath there is a thick layer (2-15 cm) of fibers brown. This layer, the mesocarp, is peeled off along with the exocarp immediately after the coconuts are on the ground. Before we part forever with these two layers, having peeled them off the fruit, let us note their exceptional importance in the distribution of the species, and see how this raw material is used. If a layer of fibers provides buoyancy for fruits that fall into the water and are carried away by the current, and protects the seed from overheating in tropical conditions, then the endocarp, impenetrable to water, serves as a reliable capsule. In unripe young fruits, the mesocarp is edible. After removing the exocarp and mesocarp, the fruit acquires the familiar appearance of a rounded brown “nut” overgrown with brown fibers. Note that the familiar phrase “coconut” is incorrect from a botanical point of view. The fruit is actually a drupe.

The fibrous layer - coir or coir - is an important raw material, for the sake of which part of the crop is harvested unripe. Coir is not subject to rotting, and this property remains unchanged at any humidity and temperature; it retains its shape perfectly and lasts an exceptionally long time. This material is used in the furniture industry as an elite mattress filler and upholstered furniture, mats, ropes and coarse fabrics are woven from it. The main producers of coir in the world are India and Sri Lanka.

The next shell of the coconut is the endocarp - a very durable brown “nut shell” by which we easily recognize coconuts on grocery store shelves. The hard shell covers a single seed, which consists of an embryo and endosperm - solid and liquid. The inside of the “shell” is covered with a layer of hard white endosperm 1-2 cm thick, and the internal cavity is filled with liquid endosperm. When buying a coconut in a store, we expect to receive a sweetish, refreshing juice (i.e., liquid endosperm) and a layer of white, fatty, solid endosperm lining the inside of the “shell,” which is familiar to us from coconut flakes, widely used in the confectionery industry. It is from this layer that valuable raw materials - copra - are obtained. A thousand nuts yield about 200 kg of copra. The annual production of copra in the world is about 5 million tons. The Philippines and Indonesia are the leaders in this production.

Before we get to the edible seed, let's look for a use for the "shell." In industrial production, “nut shells” with remaining fibers are crushed and a coconut substrate is obtained, used for growing plants. It has high moisture capacity and breathability, is biologically clean and does not rot. These properties also make it possible to improve the composition of any soil when mixed with it. Coconut substrate is sold in the form of briquettes: 5 kg of pressed substrate turns into 80 liters of complete soil when soaked.

The endocarp has long been used to make dishes. In Russia, they first learned about coconuts in the 17th century under Peter I, who brought a cup made from a coconut shell from Europe. Since coconuts were considered an “Indian curiosity” in Europe, the price of this curiosity was royal, as was its design. This can be confirmed by the exhibits. historical museums peace.

At the base of the fruit, three “eyes” are clearly visible, not overgrown with fibers and making the fruit look like a monkey’s face. These are pores formed at the site of three carpels. Three pores correspond to the location of three ovules, of which only one develops into a seed. The pore above the developing seed is easily permeable; it is through it that the sprout breaks out, while the other two are impenetrable.

Occasionally there are coconuts in which all three pores are impenetrable. In such “tightly sealed” fruits, the embryo can turn into a unique “coconut pearl”. A beautiful white, smooth and hard shell, reminiscent of mother-of-pearl, covers the embryo, turning it into a jewel. Coconut pearls are considered the only jewelry stone in the world that is of plant origin. So everyone who opens a coconut has a chance to find this miracle of nature in it - pearls, much rarer than sea pearls. True, the probability of such luck is extremely small and is approximately 1 chance in 7500 fruits. One of the famous coconut pearls is exhibited in the Fairchild Botanical Garden (Miami, USA). Like any unique gemstone, she has a proper name - “Maharaja”.

Natural saline solution

Let's return to the contents of the opened fetus. Before cracking the nut, you need to drain 0.5-1 liters of refreshing and always cool (thanks to the insulating mesocarp layer) liquid through the hole in the permeable pore. To obtain the maximum amount of coconut water, the fruits are harvested in the fifth month of ripening. Its consumption increases lactation in lactating women and helps dissolve kidney stones. As the endosperm matures, the sugar content increases. Coconut water is sterile and in a number of parameters is close to blood serum, representing a natural saline solution. During World War II, coconut water was used as a blood substitute for blood transfusions in emergency situations. It contains a large amount of potassium (about 294 mg per 100 g) and natural chlorides (118 mg per 100 g) with a low sodium content. Nowadays, coconut water is often sold in canned form, because... Its shelf life is short and is 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

A delicacy for millionaires

As the fruit ripens, copra begins to accumulate and release oil into the liquid endosperm, which causes it to become cloudy as a result of the formation of an emulsion, followed by its thickening. Subsequently, the amount of proteins and fats increases, and by 8-9 months of ripening the seed forms a hard endosperm. By 10-12 months the fruit is fully ripe and ready to germinate.

Germination of the fruit begins with the emergence of a sprout from the pore, while primary roots begin to develop in the fibrous layer. The sprout initially covers the “heart of the palm tree” - the apical bud. The outside is covered with white edible fluff, which tastes like marshmallows. A delicious salad is prepared from the apical buds, which is called “millionaires’ salad” due to the high cost of this dish, because each serving of this salad costs the life of plants that have lost their “heart”. After 3-9 months, the first leaf appears, and adventitious roots emerge from the mesocarp.

The palm tree does not yet have a trunk; it consists of a “nut” with a green bunch of leaves protruding from it and an apical bud. Only after the bud gains strength and grows to a certain size will the trunk begin to grow. It turns out that first the palm tree grows “in width” and then rises “in height”.

As practice has shown, the most productive palm trees begin to sprout first; therefore, it is recommended to discard all fruits that have not sprouted within 5 months.

Young palm trees are planted in the ground at the age of 6-18 months. The nut is left in this case, because... A young plant continues to use the nutrient reserves it contains for up to three years. Planting can be done all year round, excluding the dry season. The plant is light-loving, so planting plans should take into account lighting, soil fertility and the growth characteristics of a particular variety. The coconut palm can withstand groundwater salinity up to 3%. The planting density on the plantation is 100-160 specimens/ha. The large distance between the trees (9 m) allows the spreading leaves of each palm to receive its share of sunlight.

Having planted the next generation of palm trees, we will return to the freshly harvested harvest

Once the coconuts are on the ground, they are cracked and dried in the sun. The white, fatty endosperm is separated from the “shell.” The collected raw materials are dried in the sun or in ovens to protect the product from bacteria and fungi and copra is obtained, which contains about 70% oil. Coconut oil is extracted from copra by cold pressing or hot pressing. The resulting thick, fatty liquid is called thick coconut milk, which is used in desserts and sauces. It consists of 27% fat, 6% carbohydrates and 4% protein and includes small amounts of vitamins B1, B2, B3, C. Fresh coconut milk tastes like cow's milk and can be used to replace animal milk. The energy value of such milk is 230 kcal/100 g. Butter from cream settled after cold pressing is much more valuable than that obtained after hot pressing.

In cold pressing, the copra mass is re-immersed in water and squeezed out again to produce liquid coconut milk. It is used in Southeast Asian cooking as an additive to soups and other dishes. The cake remaining after oil production is fed to livestock.

Copra is used in the confectionery industry in the form well known to us coconut flakes. The high fat content determines its use in soap making, cooking, in the production of margarine, cosmetics, medicinal ointments and suppositories. Let's understand the properties of coconut oil and see why manufacturers use it so actively.

Coconut oil

The melting point of coconut oil is +25...+27°C, at more low temperatures it takes on the appearance of a granular mass. It has a long shelf life and practically does not oxidize due to the high content of saturated fatty acids. Exceptional heat resistance of the oil, which does not lose its properties when heated to high temperatures, allows you to effectively use it in cooking for preparing fried and deep-fried dishes, in particular for making popcorn.

Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and bactericidal effects on the body. It promotes the excretion of bile, prevents the development of obesity and urolithiasis, supports normal functioning of the thyroid gland. Lauric acid contained in coconut normalizes cholesterol metabolism in the body.

Coconut oil is practically indispensable in cosmetics. It has a healing and softening effect on the skin, promotes wound healing. His beneficial properties due to the presence in its composition of saturated fatty acids (lauric - 50% of the total acid content, myristic - 20%, palmitic - 9%, capric - 5%, caprylic - 5%, oleic - 6%, stearic - 3% and polyunsaturated fatty acids acids - linoleic Omega-6 and linolenic Omega-3 acids - 1% each). Only refined oil can be used in cosmetic preparations. In face care products its content should not exceed 10%, and in body care products - 30%.

This set positive properties, and coupled with its low cost, makes coconut oil irresistibly attractive for industrial production. It is not for nothing that the coconut palm has long been classified as the main type of oilseed crop in the world economy. The world's main producers of coconut oil are now Malaysia, India, Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Russia imports coconut oil mainly from India.

Now we can appreciate all the possibilities of using the coconut palm and its fruits and make sure that this plant is not without reason considered the “tree of life” in Southeast Asia.

Photo: Olga Shevtsova, Vladimir Sheiko, Maria Telnova, Natalya Aristarkhova, Rita Brilliantova

Homeland: coastal, tropical regions of South America.

In indoor culture it is grown as an ornamental foliage plant.

Doesn't bloom at home.

Common species: Weddel coconut (Cocos weddeliana), nut-bearing coconut (Cocos nucifera).

Purchasing a coconut tree

We purchase a plant only if:

If there are no signs of disease (spots, spots, unpleasant odor, signs of rotting);

If there are no pests on the plant or on the pot (including its lower part);

If there is no damage to the trunk and growth bud.

A sign of a well-developing plant is roots protruding from the pot.

Lighting

Optimal lighting is diffused sunlight. Coconut tolerates partial shade. Direct sunlight is allowed with one limitation: from May to July from 11-00 to 15-00 it is necessary to shade.

When exposed to excessive light, the leaf begins to curl, and signs appear on the leaf plate. sunburn. Young palm trees (up to 5-6 years old) are very sensitive to direct sunlight; under their influence, the leaves quickly turn yellow and die. From six years and older, the coconut tree is less sensitive to direct sunlight: the leaf will lighten, but will not die.

In order for the plant to maintain symmetry, every two weeks it is recommended to rotate it around its axis by 180 degrees.

The appearance of yellow or brown spots on the leaf blade in summer time, indicates excessive lighting.

Temperature

The coconut tree is very sensitive to cold.

The optimal (average annual) temperature for the development of a coconut palm is 26-28 0 C. When the air temperature drops below 16-18 0 C for more than 2 weeks, the development of the plant stops.

A short-term decrease in temperature to 0 0 C is acceptable.

Humidity

Optimal humidity is high (80-90%).

At 50% humidity (usual summer room humidity), the tips of the leaves begin to dry out. Also, it is unacceptable to place the coconut in a draft or in the path of the flow of cold air from the air conditioner - otherwise, you will forget what a beautiful crown is.

Watering

In the period from April to August, the frequency of watering is without drying the earthen coma.

In winter - with a slight drying of the earthen coma.

A common cause of coconut death is overwatering at an early stage.

Soil

The coconut palm prefers well-drained sandy loam soils with an acidity pH of 5.5 to 8.0.

Coconut is susceptible to rotting at an early stage, therefore, the soil mixture should provide quick drain water.

With properly composed soil, after watering, water flows out of the pot through the drainage hole in a matter of seconds. If this happens within a few minutes, then such soil is not suitable for growing coconut.

The following materials are used for soil drainage: pebbles, pumice, very coarse sand, coarse perlite, wood chips (size from 2cm), granite and coarse peat.

Materials that reduce the drainage of the soil mixture: clay soil, fine sand (fraction less than 3 mm) or any other substrate consisting of small solid particles.

Soil mixture composition: 1 part turf land+ 1 part humus + 1 part perlite + 1 part leaf soil + 1 part peat + 1 part tree bark.

If it is difficult to create the right mixture, use clean coarse sand for planting (this is the native environment for coconut). In this case, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the quality of fertilizing, because There are no nutrients in sand.

Fertilizer

For fertilizing, it is better to use granular, slow-release fertilizers. In this case, they are applied in the spring - once per season.

As fertilizers, you can also use soluble mineral fertilizers or solutions of organic fertilizers in the recommended concentration. Most best option- use of specialized fertilizers for palm trees. The frequency of feeding in this option is once every three weeks. They are carried out from April to August.

Coconut replanting

Coconut is a fast growing palm tree. In indoor culture, its lifespan is 5-6 years.

The optimal period for transplantation is April.

Coconut transplantation must be carried out while preserving the earthen ball, when the roots fill the entire pot. The coconut is replanted every year in a container. larger size(by 10-15%). When replanting, part of the roots that form the felt layer is cut off with a sharp knife so that the plant fits in the new pot.

When working with a palm tree, it is unacceptable to damage the trunk. If this happens, then the wound must be treated with garden varnish. Remember - damage to the apical bud is tantamount to the death of the coconut.

Pests

Mealybug, spider mite, scale insects and false scale insects. For pest control methods, see the “Pests” section.

Diseases

1) Yellowing of the lower part of the crown, gradually spreading to the entire crown, indicates infection with phytoplasma diseases. There is no treatment - we dispose of the plant.

2) Black root rot(Thielaviopsis basicola), Pytium rot (Helminthosporium, Pythium, Fusarium), leaf spot.

3) Pink rot.

Weakened plants are susceptible to the disease.

Symptoms: the disease affects the leaf blade, the leaf can rot from the base, young shoots are stunted - damaged by rot. Sometimes the trunk can also rot. Pinkish spore masses can be observed along with a thick brown liquid.

Ways to fight. Treatment of the plant with fungicides containing methyl thiophanate and mancozeb, treatment interval - a week. The plant is processed until complete recovery.

Physiological problems of coconut palm development

1) Chlorosis of young leaves. The reason is a lack of nutrients.

High pH of the environment can cause deficiencies of manganese and iron and can lead to interveinal chlorosis of young leaves. As the situation worsens, chlorotic tissues turn into necrotic spots.

Necessary measures: maintaining soil pH below 7. Application of foliar fertilizing with appropriate substances will correct the problem. The result, as a rule, will not be quick.

2) Stopping growth.

Symptoms are weak or absent growth, chlorosis of leaves, especially the lower ones. Control soil temperature at 25-27 0 C. Major coconut tree root growth stops at 16 - 17 0 C, root activity slows down so nutrient uptake is reduced. This decrease in absorption cannot be uniform, which is why the deficiency of certain microelements occurs, which occurs in cold weather.

3) Magnesium deficiency.

Symptoms – chlorosis lower leaves, which first develops along the edge of the leaf, eventually progresses to the entire surface of the leaf blade. This is a fairly common flaw.

Elimination method: when preparing the soil mixture, add dolomite flour; the situation can also be corrected by applying microfertilizer (magnesium sulfate) in the form of root or foliar feeding.

4) Marginal leaf burn.

Symptoms are burnt edges of the leaf blade. Coconut is sensitive to waterlogged or poorly aerated soils. Leaf marginal scorch usually occurs within a relatively short time after root damage begins. It is necessary to change the soil substrate (full or partial), and at the same time reduce watering.

5) Copper toxicity.

Symptoms are elliptical spots on the leaf feathers that look a bit like fungal leaf spots.

Avoid using fungicides containing copper. The concentration of copper used in blended microfertilizers is not considered a potential problem when used at recommended rates.

6) Fluoride toxicity.

Symptoms: the tips of the feathers die and turn brown.

Avoid known sources of fluoride, especially superphosphate, which is used in many ready-mix potting soil recipes.

Coconut trimming

Trim off dead and broken leaves.

Do not trim: leaves that have partially changed their color to yellow or brown. The reason is that the palm tree extracts nutrients from dying leaves.

When pruning, do not damage the trunk of the palm tree. Damage to the apical bud leads to the death of the coconut. If during transplantation the earthen ball collapses and the roots are exposed, then it is necessary to remove half of the leaves to reduce evaporation.

Never delete for a year more leaves than they grow in a year.

Coconut is characterized by drying of the tips or edges of the leaf blade. The death of parts of the leaf is usually associated with extreme heat or insufficient watering. The brown tips of the leaves should also be trimmed.

Coconut propagation

The coconut fruit is 10-30 cm in length, covered with a hard shell, and can be ovoid, angular or spherical in shape. There are pores on the surface of the hard shell. When germination occurs through the pores of the shell, the stem and root system emerge.

The coconut embryo, which is located inside the fruit, quickly loses its viability, especially when it dries out.

For propagation we use fresh green, unripe fruit. Ripe fruits germinate less well. Coconut seeds do not have a dormant period. When choosing a fruit for germination, shake it. A fruit capable of germinating, when shaken, will make a splashing sound. Before planting, soak it in water for a day (water temperature not lower than +25 0 C).

For planting, we use a container whose diameter is 1.5-2 times greater than the length of the fruit. The volume of the container should be equal to five to six volumes of the fruit, the depth of the pot should be about 40 cm.

1) Fill the container ¾ full with soil mixture. Composition of the soil mixture: 1 part rotted manure + 1 part leaf soil + 1 part perlite.

2) Place the fruit on a hard surface to find the equilibrium position. Maintaining the resulting position, we transfer it to the pot and place it on the substrate.