Coconut
Cocos nucifera L.
Location
Basketball
Family
Arecaceae (Palm family)
Common names
Coconut, Nariyal, Thengai, Tegna, Nalikeram
Native range
Indo-Pacific region; believed to have originated in coastal Southeast Asia or South Asia
Habitat
Coastal tropical regions
Flowering
Flowers year-round in tropical climates.
Fruiting
Fruits mature in about 11 to 13 months.
Conservation status
Widely cultivated and naturalized across tropical regions, not considered threatened
About this plant
Coconut is a tall, perennial, tropical palm tree, usually growing 20–30 m high with a slender, unbranched, columnar trunk. Leaves are pinnate and feather-shaped with 80 to 100 pairs of leaflets arranged along the stalk. The tree produces both male and female flowers in the same inflorescence. The fruit is large, ovoid or ellipsoid, surrounded by a thick fibrous husk containing a single seed with white edible meat and liquid known as coconut water.
Uses
The coconut tree is economically important for its fruits, providing coconut water, oil, and meat. Various parts are used traditionally for medicinal purposes such as treating diarrhea, fever, burns, renal issues, and skin conditions. Coconut oil is valued for wound healing and hair care.
Growing conditions
Requires full sunlight, temperatures typically between 20-32°C, annual rainfall of 1000-3000 mm, and high humidity (80-85%). It tolerates moderate drought but prefers continuous moisture. Shade inhibits growth and fruiting. The tree is sensitive to frost and cannot withstand extended cold exposure
Habit
Tall, unbranched, evergreen palm.