Immature fruits range in color from green to yellow or red, but all eventually turn brown.
Coconut palms grow up to 100 feet and are 20 to 30 feet wide.
Dwarf varieties can get as large as 60 feet tall.
Its palm fronds are giant, growing up to 15 feet long, looking beautiful in atropical garden landscape.
This palm is drought-tolerant and can withstand salty, sandy soils.
Where to Plant Coconut Palm
Coconut palm trees are native to the tropics.
The trees have naturalized along tropical and subtropical coastlines worldwide and grow easily in salty or sandy environments.
Once established, coconut palms are drought tolerant.
They grow best in fertile or compost-enriched soils that are slightly acidic, between pH 5 to 7.
These palms are also suitable for erosion control, especially alongcoastal areas.
The plants can be grown indoors in containers but usually will not produce coconuts.
The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council lists coconut palm trees as invasive.
They are primarily considered a problem in southern Florida compared to other parts of the state.
If your soil is heavy, amend it with organic matter before planting.
Remove the palm from its container and place in the hole.
Keep the trunk straight as you backfill with soil.
Firm the soil around the trunk and water well.
Continue with regular watering as the tree establishes roots.
Space multiple trees about 8 to 15 feet apart.
Light
Coconut palms require full sun, with at least six hours of direct sun.
These trees do not require shade or protection from extreme heat or wind.
Well-established coconut palms can usually withstand hurricane-force winds.
They handle occasional flooding and salty oceanside spray, making them ideal for coastal areas.
They can grow indoors and in non-coastal spots if the planting site consists of well-draining soil and compost.
In their first year of growth, these plants require at least one inch of water per week.
Temperature and Humidity
Coconut palm trees can withstand high heat conditions.
If growing from seed, they require 90 to 100 F to encourage germination.
Coconut palm trees need temperatures in the 70s to maintain regular growth.
Thesetropical plants also prefer moisture-filled airwith at least 50% relative humidity.
Browning leaf tips can indicate a moisture problem.
Coconut palm trees benefit from the utility of specialized palm fertilizer at least four times yearly.
For the amount to use, follow product label instructions.
Remove small or stunted coconuts to give the plant more energy to produce healthier, larger fruits.
Pruning requires a tall ladder or a special harness.
To remove coconuts, use your pruning tools or a machete.
If you do not have experience climbing trees, tree experts can harvest them for you.
If your tree has coconuts growing in a cluster for about one year, always watch for falling coconuts.
Potting and Repotting Coconut Palm
Coconut palms can grow indoors or in containers.
Start with a container at least 3 gallons or 1 foot deep.
Expect to repot the plant a couple of times, up to a 10-gallon container.
Its fast-growing roots will likely crack terra-cotta or ceramic pottery.
Ensure the vessel you choose has ample drainage holes.
Pests and Problems
Diseases to watch for on coconut palms include lethal yellowing and bud rot.
A phytoplasma or microscopic plant parasite causes lethal yellowing.
It results in premature coconut drop and blackening of the fruits, progressing to yellowing leaves and eventual death.
Bud rot is a disease that causes leaf yellowing due to fungus growth.
Antifungals rarely work to fix the problem.
In both cases, removing and destroying the plant is best to prevent its spread to nearby plants.
Coconut palms are an insect favorite.
How to Propagate Coconut Palm
Coconut palm trees are grown by seedsor, in this casea coconut.
Soak the coconut in water for three days to soften the husk, preparing it for germination.
Keep the pot in a warm, bright location, giving consistent moisture.
It grows rapidly up to 100 feet tall and forms a large-diameter trunk.
Immature fruits are either green or bronze colored.
Plant in zones 10-11.
It reportedly has good resistance to lethal yellowing, a disease that can kill other coconut varieties.
‘Fiji Dwarf’ coconut is also sometimes called ‘Niu Leka’.
It can have either bronze or green fruits.
Plant in zones 10-11.
They require about six hours of sun and sandy, well-draining soil.
Pineapple plant will also welcome regular fertilizer utility to produce healthy fruits.
Hibiscus
Tropical hibiscusshrubs grow best in tropical zones like USDA 10 and 11.
The shrubs thrive in slightly acidic, well-draining sandy soil.
Peppers thrive when temperatures are about 80 F. These plants cannot withstand cold temperatures.
Frequently Asked Questions
The only way to grow a coconut tree is from a coconut.
Coconuts are best planted in a moist, well-draining sandy mixture in a hot, bright spot.
Expect it to take about three to six months for a seedling to emerge.
A coconut tree can take three to six months to sprout from seed.
A coconut tree must mature outdoors in full sun for about six to 10 years before producing coconuts.
Coconut trees can grow indoors, although they grow best outdoors in full sun and tropical temperatures.
If grown indoors, give warmth and bright light.
Also, don’t expect coconut palms grown indoors to produce coconuts.
UF/IFAS Extension Gardening Solutions.
Accessed August 5, 2024. https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/palms-and-cycads/coconut-palm/.
