How does a coconut tree grow? Coconut palm: the correct cultivation of a plant at home. What is "uto"

Coconut palm how to care for at home. Coconut palm: reproduction. Coconut palm: transplant. Coconut palm: cultivation. Conditions necessary for growing palm trees.

COCONUT PALMA (Cocos nucifera)

The coconut palm has very sparse, long leaves grouped in pairs, forming vayu. The frond appears directly from a nut lying in a pot and half buried in the soil.

As the plant develops, the lower branches die off and new ones appear at the top of the main stem; thus, over time, a palm trunk is formed.

The coconut tree grows very slowly and is usually bought as a curiosity. The main condition for caring for her is to make sure that the nut does not rot. In no case should water fall on it - neither during watering, nor when spraying.

Coconut palm. Conditions of detention

Illumination: full sunlight.

Temperature: in winter - not lower than 18 ° С. In summer, the plant tolerates temperatures up to 27 ° C.

Coconut palm watering: make sure that the soil is always slightly moist; In summer, water the palm tree 1-2 times a week. Don't let water get on the nut and don't leave the pot in the water pan.

Air humidity: mist regularly as the coconut tree needs high humidity. When spraying, remember that drops of water remaining on the leaves can cause burns. Place the pot in a tray of wet pebbles or place it in a container of wet peat.

Palm top dressing: in the summer, every 3 weeks, feed the palm tree with houseplant fertilizer diluted with water. Use half the concentration compared to that recommended by the manufacturer.

Palm soil: a mixture of 2 parts clay soil mixture with 1 part peat and 1 part sand. If possible, add some vermiculite (2 tablespoons per 17cm pot). Good drainage is required.

Palm transplant: when the old pot becomes too small, transplant the palm tree into the next largest pot. Alternatively, replace only the top layer of soil (about 3 cm) with a fresh mixture so as not to damage the roots. A very large plant (about 2 m high) may need a heavier mixture of 3 parts clay soil, 1 part peat moss and 1 part coarse sand.

Real coconut palms, surprising in nature with gigantic sizes and a generous harvest of giant nuts, are considered not the most suitable plants for room culture. But, nevertheless, homemade coconut trees can be found in almost every flower shop, and many hobbyists even grow their own coconut trees from purchased nuts. Whichever way the coconut tree gets to you, you should prepare for trouble: despite its beauty, this is one of the most difficult (if not the most difficult) palm trees to grow. And only experienced and very attentive flower growers can save it, and even then only for a few years. Care for her will require not just regular, but super-careful.

Home grown coconut tree. © PalmTreeDude

homemade version of coconut

There are so many palms with the name coconut on sale today that even experienced flower growers can get confused. Consultants often tout Weddel coconuts, and other types of palm trees, as an indoor version of the coconut that is compact, beautiful, and hardy. But such pinnate and fan beauties have almost nothing to do with coconut palms. Most often, under the guise of coconuts, we sell lithocarias ( Lytocaryum) (Weddel Coconut ( Lytocaryum weddellianum) and other species of the genus) and butia ( Butia), whose name is still found as a synonym for coconut. They are also not easy to grow palm trees, but they are very far from genuine coconut. Only one type of palm tree belongs to the genus Coconut - Cocos nucifera. It is simply impossible to confuse this palm tree with any other.

Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) is not only a tropical, but also a palm tree that usually grows only in coastal areas. Nut-bearing coconuts are classified as feathery palms and are quite large in size. In room conditions and even greenhouses, coconuts can grow up to only 3 meters. But since it is very difficult to keep a palm tree until adulthood, coconuts are limited to much more modest parameters. Considered a fast-growing palm, the coconut develops as a slender, bushy plant with a tall trunk and an asymmetrical crown-top of broad and unevenly pinnate leaves, the number of which in an adult palm can reach up to 35 wai. The trunk is formed and "stretched" gradually, it has vertical cracks and rings from falling leaves, the expansion at the base is small. The slope of the trunk is determined by the growth of the walnut, it is more or less pronounced. The leaves of the coconut palm change with age. When young, they are almost whole, but gradually the cuts on the leaf plates become deeper, and the wide leaves turn into pinnate and long. In indoor coconuts, the leaves are often divided into just a couple of segments. In the coconut palm, the leaf plates and their lobes, like the petioles, are very rigid. The length of the leaves is up to 2 - 3 meters. Flowering of nut-bearing coconut is impossible not only in room conditions, but also in greenhouse conditions.

Coconut palms look very attractive: the contrast between a half-buried nut, from which rises at first a slender and small, and then more and more elegant and interesting palm tree, adds to its decorative effect. Palm nuts are lost at such a significant age that it is almost impossible to wait for this in a room culture.

Coconut tree care at home

It is believed that indoor coconuts can "last" - even with very good selection of conditions and the most careful care - only 2-3 years. This palm is indeed very difficult to grow and is more likely to be planted for experimentation or if you want to test your skills. As a stable ornamental palm tree, it would be a very big mistake to buy coconut nut. Firstly, because of the sun-loving nature, it cannot be placed in the interior. And, secondly, the risk of loss is always higher than the probability of success. But if you want to try, get ready for relentless care.

Coconut Tree Lighting

The need to provide the coconut palm with very bright lighting throughout the year is largely responsible for all the difficulties in growing this plant. Nut-bearing coconut is not just a photophilous plant. It needs long daylight hours all year round. And the only lighting option that will suit this palm tree will be a sunny place on the southern windowsill or places with artificial lighting. In winter, lighting is welcome anywhere.

Comfortable temperature conditions

This is one of the most heat-loving palm trees, for which the minimum allowable temperatures are limited by the value of short-term drops to 16-17 degrees Celsius. Throughout the year, the coconut tree will prefer the heat over the subdued temperatures. In summer, coconut feels best at a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius, but if the indicators remain above 21 degrees, then there should be no difficulties with the selection of premises.

The coconut palm will need constant access to fresh air, regular ventilation. But it will not be so easy to carry them out with the dislike of palm trees for drafts and sudden changes in the environment.

Irrigation of the coconut palm and air humidity

To save your coconut palm, you will have to monitor the stable moisture content of the substrate. Even a single drying of an earthen coma, and even more so the lack of stable watering or prolonged drying, can lead to the rapid death of a palm tree. The soil for coconut nut must always remain moist. Allow only a few inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Coconut is afraid of excessive watering and dampness, so for this crop it will be necessary to constantly control the degree of drying of the substrate. The approximate frequency of watering is about 3 times a week in summer and once a week in winter. In summer, abundant watering can be carried out, and from autumn to spring, less water is used.

But if the difficulties with watering are well known to everyone who grows exotics and various beautiful flowering beauties, and they are almost standard for any demanding plant, then the coconut palm will surprise anyone with its intolerance to dry air. This species needs very high humidity levels - from 70% and not lower. Even a slight decrease in these values ​​leads to a loss of decorativeness. And we are talking not only about the dry tips of the leaves of the coconut palm, but the fronds themselves gradually dry out and disappear. And the lower the humidity, the faster the palm tree dies. To create optimal conditions only by spraying, you will have to carry out these procedures not only in the morning and evening, but also up to 5-6 times a day. For a coconut palm, it is better to install large pallets with wet gravel, moss or expanded clay, and even better - to maintain air humidity with special humidifiers.

Both in spraying and in watering for a coconut palm, only settled, soft and warm water can be used.

Growing coconut palm at home. © Coco Bonsai

Fertilizer for coconut

Coconut palm needs very specific nutrition. For this plant, it is best not to use fertilizers for ornamental leafy plants or special preparations for palm trees, but mixtures of fertilizers for bonsai or citrus fruits. Top dressing is applied only during the period of active development with a frequency of 1 time in 2 weeks in summer and 1 time per month in winter (reducing the dose of fertilizers by 2 times). You can refuse winter dressings of the coconut palm, but then the risk of losing decorativeness increases. You can carry out top dressing according to the principle of garden plants: apply fertilizer at the beginning of spring growth, then 2-3 times in summer, and carry out the last top dressing in mid-autumn. But in this case, highly concentrated fertilizers are used, which increases the risk of death.

pruning coconut

On the coconut palm, the formation is not carried out, but it still needs periodic cleaning. Dried or damaged leaves are cut off from the plant. But at the same time, you need to be careful: you can only cut completely dry fronds, but only slightly changed color and even half-dry sheets should not be touched.

Coconut transplant and substrate

Coconut palms do not need frequent transplants. She is afraid of injury to the roots and reacts painfully to changing containers. If you buy an imported palm tree, then it is better to transplant it next spring into a new container (in no case before the end of the period of full adaptation to room conditions and quarantine). But the optimal frequency of transplants is 1 time in 2 years for compact and nut-preserving palm trees, and only as needed, once every 4-6 years for adults. In years when transplantation is not carried out, the top layer of the substrate must be replaced.

The substrate for growing coconut nut is selected from among the fibrous, coarse, but very permeable earth mixtures. Suitable ready-made substrates for palm trees. If you are preparing the soil mixture yourself, mix sand, peat, soddy soil, clay, humus and expanded clay or agroperlite in equal parts. A mixture of soddy soil with heather and sand in equal proportions is also suitable.

Coconut palms are not transplanted, but rolled over, trying to avoid even the slightest contact with the roots. You need to be especially careful when taking out the plant: any injury to the taproot, even as a result of a difficult excavation from the previous container, will be fatal. When transplanting a coconut, make sure that the nut is not completely covered: for a palm tree, the same level of deepening is observed that was in the previous container - about half the nut. But a higher planting is not as dangerous as overfilling the nut with the substrate. If a palm tree has dropped a nut, we are talking about a very old plant, then the level of deepening is still kept the same. A very high layer of drainage is laid at the bottom of the containers.

Coconut palm containers are usually taken quite large, increasing their diameter not by 2-3 cm, but by 4-6 cm, in order to get rid of the need for frequent transplantation even at a young age.

Diseases and pests of the coconut palm

Under indoor conditions, coconut palms are plagued by 2 main "enemies" - mealybugs and various types of rot. But there are scale insects and spider mites on the palm tree, which are especially active in violation of care in terms of air humidification.

Common Growing Problems:

• drying tips and leaves in violation of watering or top dressing;
• twisting of leaves during overflow or drought;
• slow growth and lack of new leaves with improper feeding or the need for a transplant;
• darkening and wilting of leaves in the cold.

Reproduction of the coconut tree

This is one of the most difficult palm trees to propagate and can only be obtained from seeds. But that hasn't stopped many from trying to grow their own coconut tree.

Only mature, ripe and fresh coconuts are used for cultivation. Coconut is germinated in wet peat, without completely deepening the nut, but leaving a “top” on the surface with holes for germination (2-3 points through which the juice is usually drained). Pre-soaking in water from 45 to 80 degrees is welcome, but it does not show much at germination rate.

From above, a container with a coconut palm must be covered with glass or film, creating greenhouse conditions and traditionally airing it daily. For germination, it is necessary to maintain a stable temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. The process of releasing a single embryo can take up to 5-6 months.

Coconut is transplanted immediately after the appearance of the sprout, deepening the nut less, only up to half. The nut is not separated on its own: gradually, when the need for it disappears, the palm tree will “drop” it itself. And until then, they don’t touch him, but protect him from any contact.

The coconut palm is a unique plant that is the only representative of the genus Coconut, belonging to the Palm family. There are only intraspecific varieties, and the size of the plant is taken as the basis for their classification.

This is how tall palm trees are distinguished, they are widely used for home and commercial cultivation, and their height reaches 25-30 meters. Such coconut palms grow slowly at maturity and begin to bear fruit 6-10 years after planting. At the same time, over the next 60 years, and sometimes longer, the palm tree will annually bring dozens of nuts. For such varieties, cross-pollination is inherent, so several specimens are planted at once.

Dwarf coconut palms grow up to 10 meters in height and at the same time begin to bear fruit from the third year, reaching a meter in length. They do not live as long as their tall counterparts, up to 30-40 years. As a rule, these plants are self-pollinating and do not need a related neighborhood for fruiting.

Coconut palms do not have tap roots, but at the same time they acquire many primary fibrous roots, which together resemble a huge broom. The roots grow from a thickening at the bottom of the trunk. The outer ones spread widely in the horizontal plane, the inner roots go deep down, up to 10 meters.

This arrangement of the root system allows coconuts to grow successfully on sandy coasts, subject to the constant influence of ocean tides. Although this is not enough, and one can often observe intricately curved trunks of palm trees with a root system washed out of the soil.

The trunk of a coconut palm has no branches and grows from a single apical bud, called the heart of a coconut, which is the densely folded rudiments of future leaves of the plant. The base of the trunk in adulthood reaches 0.8 meters in diameter. Throughout the rest of the length of the palm tree, the thickness of the trunk is unchanged, and is somewhere around 0.4 meters in girth.

Stem growth is quite intense in the early stages and can reach up to 1.5 meters per year. But as they grow older, the plant slows down and adds only 10-15 cm per year. The trunk of the coconut palm does not have a cambium, and therefore is not able to restore damaged tissues, and the loss of a single kidney causes the death of the plant. However, adult coconuts grow up to 18,000 vascular bundles in the trunk, helping palms withstand significant physical damage.

The first leaves of a coconut tree that emerge from a sprouted nut are like feathers joined together. After the first 8-10 leaves, true leaves develop, with divided transverse stripes. As a rule, a normal adult palm tree produces 12-16 new leaves per year, each of which bears an inflorescence.

At the same time, 30-40 leaves grow on a coconut, with the same number of leaf primordia. It takes about 30 months from the appearance of a leaf rudiment to its full development. A mature coconut palm leaf grows up to 3-4 meters long and has 200-250 stripes. The leaf remains in the crown for about three years, and then falls off, leaving a scar on the trunk.

The age of an adult palm tree is directly related to the number of scars from fallen leaves. The number of scars divided by 13 gives the approximate age of the plant in years.

How do coconut trees bloom and bear fruit?

Coconut inflorescence is enclosed in a double shell and resembles an ear, each of which is located in the axil of the leaf. Palm trees are monoecious plants, that is, their inflorescences bear both male and female flowers. Moreover, men are more numerous. The female flowers are located at the base of the spikelets, the male flowers are located at the terminal part.

The inflorescence germ is found 4 months after the leaf is separated. Flowers stand out and grow after another 22 months. And only a year after that, the shell of the inflorescence opens. Male flowers bloom first in the spikelets, which is accompanied by the release of pollen. The whole process on each inflorescence lasts only one day, and then the flowers fall off. In total, the male flowering phase of the coconut palm lasts about 20 days, depending on the variety and conditions.

A few days later, the female flowering phase begins, lasting up to 3-8 days. Each female flower remains susceptible to pollen for 1-3 days. In a normal coconut inflorescence, 10-50 such flowers grow. As a rule, 50-70% of them remain unpollinated and crumble, which is especially characteristic in dry weather. The rest of the flowers develop into fruits, which will take about 12 more months to ripen, or up to 8 months in undersized palms.

The duration of the male and female phases depends on climatic conditions and does not usually overlap in tall varieties of coconut palms. Therefore, self-pollination occurs very rarely. In some dwarf coconuts, such as the Malayan dwarfs, the phases overlap to promote self-pollination.

Coconut fruits are fibrous drupes. Young fruits have a smooth outer surface with a color from green to red-brown. Ripe coconuts have a fibrous surface, which is the raw material for producing coconut fiber. Under the coconut fiber grows a hard waterproof shell that protects the core of the fruit and thanks to which the coconut fruit can travel great distances on the surface of the ocean.

From the inside, the hard shell is covered with 12 mm of white pulp - copra. There is liquid in the center of the coconut, coconut water is watery and clear when unripe. Over time, the water becomes cloudy and thickens, and its amount decreases - this is coconut milk. Coconut fruits have a lot of useful qualities that allow them to be widely used for food, as well as for other household purposes.

Tell your friends about it.

Coconut palm ... and now before my eyes 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 genus Coconut (Cocos) families Arekovye, or Palm ( Arecaceae, or Palmaceae). Such uniqueness is remarkable in itself, 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 Southeast Asia (Malaysia) was its homeland. The range of the plant has expanded significantly thanks to the efforts of people and the distribution 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 are able to remain viable for 110 days in salty sea water, during which time the fruit can be carried over 5000 km from their native shores. Due to the ability of coconuts to tolerate significant soil salinity, they can take root right on the seashore, where no other tree survives.

Coconut palm is a tree 25-30 m high with a smooth trunk with annular scars from fallen leaves, usually slightly inclined to one side. A 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. The thickening of the trunk with age in palm trees does not occur due to the absence of the cambial layer (as in all monocotyledonous plants) and, consequently, the absence of growth of wood in the form of annual rings.

The main root of the palm dies, and its function is performed by many lateral adventitious roots, originating from the thickening of the base of the trunk. Horizontal roots go into the ground by 0.5 m, and vertical ones 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 a secondary thickening, which is typical for monocots. Dye is made from the roots of the coconut tree.

The leaves of the palm tree are huge, pinnate, 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 off after three years. Its base encloses the stem almost entirely, providing a strong anchorage to withstand strong offshore winds. About once a month, another new leaf appears on the tree, if unfavorable conditions do not delay its formation by 2-3 months. On a palm tree, on average, there are from 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 palm blooms all year round. Every 3-6 weeks, inflorescences appear in the axils of the leaves 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 provides more reliable fastening of the fruit. Their number reaches several hundred. Male flowers are located at the top of the spikelets, which allows them to expand the pollination zone. The number of male flowers is many times greater than the number of female flowers. For vigorous varieties, cross-pollination is characteristic, while for dwarf varieties, the height of which in adulthood reaches no more than 10 m, self-pollination. Usually 6-12 ovaries remain in the inflorescence. A good harvest is considered if 3-6 fruits ripen in a year.

Having cut off the top of the unblown inflorescence, they collect sweet palm juice containing 14.6% sugar. Brown crystalline palm sugar is obtained by evaporation. The juice left in the sun quickly ferments, turning into vinegar within a day. With slow fermentation, coconut wine is obtained, it has a low alcohol content, while having a refreshing and invigorating effect. It tastes like a light table grape wine.

For a faster harvest

Coconut palm begins to bear fruit at the age of 6 years, gradually increasing the yield to a maximum by 15 years and reducing it only after 50-60 years due to the aging of the tree. An adult 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 have been created, which are divided into 2 groups: vigorous (ordinary) and undersized (dwarf). They differ significantly in biological and production characteristics.

The bred 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 has only 1 meter of growth. By the age of 10, the coconut palm is able to give the maximum yield. The fruits of dwarf palms are smaller than those of vigorous ones, but harvesting from a maximum height of 10 m is much easier than from trees 20-25 m high.

The fruits of vigorous varieties are round, almost spherical in shape, about 30-40 cm in diameter and weighing up to 3 kg. Falling from a height of 20 m, they acquire a terrible destructive power. Harvesting is carried out all year round with a frequency of 2 months. An experienced picker can collect up to 1,500 nuts a day, for this he needs to skillfully use a long pole with a knife at the end. Less productive is the method of collecting with climbing on palm trees to a height of 20 m. On the plantations of about. Koh Samui (Thailand), where the supply of coconuts reaches 40 thousand pieces a 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 picking of coconuts by monkeys has become an attraction for tourists, which gives additional income to the plantations.

From shell to core

Harvested coconuts, like all other parts of this extremely useful palm tree, are used completely: from the shell to the kernel. Europeans are used to seeing brown hairy balls in supermarkets, but coconuts on a palm tree look very 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 the exocarp. Under it is a thick layer (2-15 cm) of brown fibers. 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, peeling them off the fruit, we note their exceptional importance in the distribution of the species, and see how this raw material is used. If the layer of fibers provides buoyancy for fruits falling into the water and being carried away by the current, and protection of the seed from overheating in tropical conditions, then the water-impervious endocarp serves as a reliable capsule. In unripe young fruits, the mesocarp is edible. After the removal of the exocarp and mesocarp, the fruit acquires the familiar look of a rounded brown “nut”, overgrown with brown fibers. Note that the phrase “coconut” familiar to us is incorrect from the point of view of botany. In fact, the fruit is a drupe.

The fibrous layer - coir or coir - is an important raw material, for which part of the crop is harvested unripe. Coir is not subject to decay, and this property is unchanged at any humidity and temperature, it perfectly retains its shape and lasts an exceptionally long time. This material is used in the furniture industry as an elite filler for mattresses 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 strong brown "nutshell" by which we easily recognize coconuts on grocery store shelves. A hard shell covers a single seed, which consists of an embryo and endosperm - solid and liquid. From the inside, the "shell" is covered with a layer of solid white endosperm 1-2 cm thick, and the inner cavity is filled with liquid endosperm. Buying a coconut in a store, we expect to get a sweetish refreshing juice (i.e. liquid endosperm) and a layer of white fatty hard endosperm lining the "shell" from the inside, which is familiar to us from coconut flakes, widely used in the confectionery industry. It is from this layer that valuable raw materials are obtained - copra. 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 leading in this production.

Before we get to the edible seed, let's look for a use for the "shell." In industrial production, the "nutshell" with the remains of the fibers is crushed and a coconut substrate is obtained, which is used for growing plants. It has high moisture capacity and air permeability, is biologically pure and does not rot. These properties also make it possible to improve the composition of any soil when mixed with it. They sell coconut substrate in the form of briquettes: 5 kg of pressed substrate turns into 80 liters of full-fledged soil when soaked.

Dishes have been made from the endocarp for a long time. In Russia, coconuts were first known in the 17th century under Peter I, who brought a goblet made of coconut shell from Europe. Since coconuts were considered an “Indian curiosity” in Europe, the price of this curiosity was royal, as was its design. Exhibits of historical museums of the world can serve as confirmation of this.

At the base of the fruit, three "eyes" are clearly distinguishable, not overgrown with fibers and making the fruit look like a monkey's muzzle. These are pores formed in place 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 to be the only plant-based gemstone in the world. So everyone who opens a coconut has a chance to find in it this miracle of nature - pearls, which are much rarer than sea ones. True, the probability of such luck is extremely small and is approximately 1 chance in 7500 fruits. One of the famous coconut pearls is on display at the Fairchild Botanical Gardens (Miami, USA). Like any unique gem, she has a proper name - "Magaraja".

natural saline

Let's return to the contents of the opened fetus. Before splitting a nut, it is necessary to drain 0.5-1 l of a refreshing and always cool (thanks to the insulating layer of the mesocarp) liquid through a hole in a permeable pore. To obtain the maximum amount of coconut water, the fruits are removed in the fifth month of ripening. Its consumption increases lactation in lactating women and promotes the dissolution of kidney stones. As the liquid endosperm matures, the sugar content increases. Coconut water is sterile and close to blood serum in a number of parameters, being a natural saline solution. During World War II, coconut water was used as a blood substitute for blood transfusions in emergencies. 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 more often sold in canned form, because. its shelf life is short and is 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Delicacy for millionaires

As the fruit ripens, the 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 with its subsequent thickening. In the future, the amount of proteins and fats increases, and by the 8-9th month of maturation, the seed forms a solid endosperm. By 10-12 months, the fruit is fully ripe and ready to germinate.

Germination of the fruit begins with the appearance of a sprout from the pore, while primary roots begin to develop in the fibrous layer. The sprout at first covers the "heart of the palm tree" - the apical bud. Outside, it is covered with white edible fluff that tastes like marshmallows. A delicacy salad is prepared from the apical buds, which is called the "millionaires' salad" for 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 the 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 sticking out of it and an apical bud. Only after the kidney gains strength and grows to a certain size, the growth of the trunk will begin. It turns out that at 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, in this regard, it is recommended to discard all fruits that have not sprouted within 5 months.

Young palms are planted in the ground at the age of 6-18 months. At the same time, the nut is left, because. a young plant up to three years continues to use the nutrient reserves contained in it. Planting can be done year-round, excluding the dry season. The plant is photophilous, so planting patterns should take into account the illumination, soil fertility and growth characteristics of a particular variety. 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 tree to receive their share of sunlight.

Having planted the next generation of palms, we will return to the freshly harvested crop

After the coconuts are on the ground, they are split and dried in the sun. 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 get copra, 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 goes into desserts and sauces. It is made up 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 that has settled after cold pressing is much more valuable than that obtained after hot pressing.

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

Copra is used in the confectionery industry in the form of the well-known 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°С, at lower temperatures it takes the form of a granular mass. It has a long shelf life and practically does not oxidize due to the high content of saturated fatty acids. The exceptional heat resistance of the oil, which does not lose its properties when heated to high temperatures, allows it to be effectively used in cooking for cooking fried and deep-fried dishes, in particular for making popcorn.

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

Coconut oil is almost indispensable in cosmetics. It has a healing and softening effect on the skin, promotes wound healing. Its beneficial properties are due to the presence of saturated fatty acids in its composition (lauric -50% of the total acid content, myristic - 20%, palmitic - 9%, capric - 5%, caprylic - 5%, oleic - 6%, stearic - 3% and polyunsaturated fatty 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%.

Such a set of positive properties, and even in combination with cheapness, makes coconut oil irresistibly attractive for industrial production. No wonder the coconut palm has long been attributed to the main types of oilseeds in the world economy. The main world producers of coconut oil are now Malaysia, India, Thailand, 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

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

Forms, varieties and varieties

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

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

Coconut tree in natural conditions

Ornamental undersized palm trees have also been bred, giving inedible yellow fruits. Varietal forms have nuts of various shades, the most common are:

1. Brown.
2. Greens.
3. Orange.
4. Yellow etc.

Types of coconuts

The variety of appearance of coconuts can be found in the photo. 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. For growing in a tub, you must try to find a specially bred undersized form that can please the eye for many years. Whereas the tall variety will live at home for no more than 7 years.

Coconut palm propagation, germination and planting

Reproduction occurs by seeds, i.e. the fruit of the coconut palm itself sprouts. For planting, only a nut covered with a shell is suitable. Stores sell already peeled 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 gurgle. 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 are able to 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 beats the fruit on the sandy shore, a sprout will appear.

Coconut can only hatch at a temperature of about 30 ° C. Humidity should also be high. This is a very long process, it may take up to six months. Suitable conditions for germination can be created in a greenhouse or greenhouse. After the appearance of the sprout, the fruit is placed in a tub with soil. Only the lower part is covered with a substrate, and the top of the nut should be above ground level. Mimicking natural conditions. In their natural environment, coconut palms grow well on sand, but are able to develop on other soils.

coconut tree sprout

For growing at home, the substrate must be soft and loose. It is good to use a universal flower primer, 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 for excess moisture to escape.

Coconut germination requires patience and special conditions. If there is no desire to do this, then you can always purchase a young plant of an ornamental variety in the garden center.

Features of care

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

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

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

Constant watering is vital for the coconut palm. After all, at home, it grows on the coasts of the seas and oceans. Complete drying of the earthen coma should not be allowed. 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 a palm tree in a new, more spacious container, you need to save an earthen lump. At the age of 5 years or more, instead of transplanting, high-quality humus is added dropwise on the soil surface.

Important. An integral part of the care of a coconut tree growing in a tub is pruning. Remove broken, dried leaves. But those that have changed their color, darkened or somewhat yellowed leaf plates are left. Because the plant draws the necessary nutrient compounds from them.

Fertilizers, dressings, typical diseases and pests

The coconut tree grows very slowly, consuming a lot of nutrients. And although from a biological point of view, the plant is undemanding to the composition of the soil, due to the lack of space at home, it must be fertilized. For this, it is recommended to use organic substances. For best results, it is best 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 top dressing so that they are stopped in winter. During this period, it is better to leave an adult plant alone, reducing not only nutrition, but also irrigation.

For the development of a palm tree in an apartment, the plant needs regular top dressing.

Insufficiently careful and thoughtful care of the plant provokes the occurrence of diseases. Excessive watering contributes to the development of fungal infections, under the influence of which the root system can rot. In pot culture, the coconut palm is affected by a number of pests, the most common of which are:

1. Shchitovki;
2. Spider mites;
3. Mealybugs;
4. thrips;
5. False shields.

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

Growing and caring for a coconut palm at home is quite laborious and time consuming. But having received a healthy beautiful specimen, you can rightly be proud of it. Such an exotic plant is extremely attractive, decorative and unusual. It is sure to wow guests and delight hosts.

How to grow a palm tree in your home: video

Cultivation of coconut palm: photo

Coconut palm- a large, tree-like plant, which is intensively cultivated in the tropics. The palm tree grows very fast, the nuts it gives are used for food, it is a very important crop. Coconut is widely distributed throughout the world, and even in the outback of Russia it is very easy to find it in a decent supermarket. The most curious, of course, will want to grow a coconut palm in a pot. It turns out that getting a room coconut is not so easy ...

How to grow a coconut tree?

* Choose the right coconut.

In order to germinate coconut, it is important to choose high-quality planting material. Ordinary "food" nuts from the store will not work, since all protective fibers are removed from them, which deprives them of germination. Fresh coconuts that have fallen from a palm tree sprout ideally. It is important that the coconut is ripe, juicy and healthy looking. You can bring them from your vacation or order them online.

* We plant a homemade coconut.

• In nature, before sprouting, coconuts tend to roll along the surf line, float in the water and absorb moisture. We should simulate this situation by soaking the coconut in soft water for 2-3 days. The water should be changed daily and, if possible, rotate the coconut so that the whole shell is evenly soaked. This will help make it easier for the sprout of the future palm tree to break through.

• For planting, a small pot is suitable, 2 times larger in diameter than the nut itself. The pot should have many drainage holes. The substrate can be used ready-made, flower, it is important to create a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot.

• When planting a coconut, it is easiest to place it in a supine position, on its side. It can also be buried in the soil with a blunt end, leaving 1/3 of the total length above the ground.

• For the emergence of seedlings, it is important to warm +30 degrees, sunlight and high humidity. Coconut can be covered by creating a translucent greenhouse where a lot of condensation will collect. The soil should be kept moist and monitored to prevent mold or musty odors.

• Coconut sprouts for a long time, from three months to six months. This is due to the fact that the nut shell is very dense and it takes such a period of time for life to arise inside.

* Caring for a coconut tree at home.

At home, it is very difficult to create conditions close to tropical. Our air is dry, and apart from a humidifier, nothing will help to establish a decent humidity. If you don’t have a device, spray the palm tree more often, put wet expanded clay in the pan.

Coconut palm is grown in a bright, well-lit place. If this is a south window, do not forget about shading at the peak of solar activity. In summer, the plant grows well outdoors.

Coconut grows year round at room temperature. If the indicators fall below +15, the plant may just get sick!

With the growth of the palm tree, a transplant will be required. The pot must be enlarged by transferring the nut by transshipment, without destroying the earthen clod. After a year, light humus top dressing can be added to the substrate.

Unfortunately, the living environment significantly limits the life resources of the coconut palm. The plant cannot properly grow roots, develop, bear fruit, and at the age of five years it usually begins to wither and soon dies. If you are very lucky, in flower shops or at specialized exhibitions you can find special varieties of homemade coconuts suitable for indoor cultivation.

In any case, the experience of sprouting coconut and observing the life of a tropical coconut tree is very interesting. This can be a long-term creative project for a child, or just an unforgettable experience for you!

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Coconut lovers can be envied and sympathized at the same time. Envy because from this product they will receive most of the vitamins and nutrients necessary for the body. But, unfortunately, not always in our stores there is a tropical nut that is suitable for consumption. Often, due to long transportation, already overripe or dried coconuts get on the shelves. Of course, even if you know how to grow a coconut at home, this problem cannot be solved. But it is possible to get a beautiful palm tree.

This is a rather complicated and time-consuming process, but it is still possible to do it. The main snag is where to find a coconut to plant. The fruits that are sold in the store will not work for this. They, most often, have already been cleared of the fibrous membrane and therefore will not sprout. Ideally, this should be a nut that has fallen from a palm tree and is immediately delivered to you. Try contacting specialized stores or firms.

When the coconut is picked up, proceed directly to cultivation. Coconut palm at home will grow only if you follow the instructions. Then you will soon be able to enjoy a delicious coconut grown with your own hands.

Nut preparation

Before planting a coconut, it must be sent to a container filled with water. The nut should stay there for 2-3 days. Thus, you will bring the fruit closer to natural conditions, because often, before getting to the ground and germinating, a palm nut floats in the ocean. Also, water will soften the fibrous shell, and the coconut will sprout faster.

Pay attention to the container in which you will plant. It should not be very deep, but have a large diameter: twice the size of the nut. Make drainage holes for the coconut to breathe. As a soil, a flower mixture supplemented with sand is suitable.

planting a coconut

Take a pot and pour a small layer of expanded clay on the bottom, then earth mixed with sand and make a depression for the fruit. Coconut palm at home can be planted in two versions: vertically and horizontally.

In the first case, pay attention to the blunt end of the nut. This is the place where he was attached to the palm tree. Place the coconut with this side down and bury 2/3 of the fruit in the ground. In the second option, place the coconut on its side and compact the soil around it.

The sprout does not appear too quickly, it will take 3-6 months. If you don’t want to wait so long, buy a sprouted palm tree in the store. This will save you a lot of time.

Features of care

The correct temperature must be observed. For such a tropical plant, the ideal temperature is 30 degrees. It is also desirable to create a mini greenhouse. Cover the coconut with a material that allows light to pass through. Constantly maintain soil moisture, but at the same time, make sure that the water does not stagnate.

Coconut palm at home should be well lit, but not in direct sunlight. The ideal option is a window on the south side, which has a slight shadow. When the palm has sprouted enough, transplant it into a larger pot. Do not completely shake off the soil in which it grew from the nut. Just transfer it to a new container and add more soil.

A palm tree grown on a windowsill will not bear fruit, but will be a wonderful element for interior decor. The tree grows for about five years and acquires quite impressive dimensions during this time. Then it dies, but if properly cared for, you can extend its life for a few more years.

Coconut Tree: Video

Many types of citrus grow well at home. But how to grow a lemon from a seed, which would not only decorate the room with leathery dark green foliage, but also bear fruit?

It is the absence of ovaries on grown plants that often disappoints home citrus growers. Indeed, in the best case, from the moment of planting to the flowering of an indoor lemon, it takes from 4 to 7 years. And yet, getting a lemon from a stone is an exciting and not hopeless task. A strong tree can be used as a rootstock by grafting a cutting of a cultivated specimen onto it, or it can be pushed to bear fruit with competent care and crown formation.

If you are going to grow a lemon from a stone at home, you need to be patient and have some knowledge.

The main mistake of indoor plant lovers who have failed in the cultivation of lemon or other citrus fruits is that for sowing seeds were used that were long removed from the fruit and had time to dry out.

It is much more correct to remove the seeds from ripe fresh lemons, rinse them with warm water and embed them in the substrate immediately, without drying. This will greatly increase the number of seedlings.

And experienced citrus growers recommend another way to increase the speed and quality of germination. For this, moist, home-grown lemon pits are carefully removed with a sharp knife from the hard surface shell, which is the main obstacle to the sprout hidden in the seed.

Following this advice, you need to be extremely careful and careful. An incorrect movement threatens to damage the cotyledons or the tender embryo, and then the lemon from the stone will definitely not appear.

If lemon seeds remain in the shell, it is useful to immerse them for several hours in a growth stimulator solution, preventing the surface of the seeds from drying out between processing and planting.

Growing lemon from seed at home

Before planting lemon seeds, choose shallow wide containers with obligatory drainage holes. A 2-centimeter layer of fine expanded clay or vermiculite is poured onto the bottom of a pot or other container so that all excess moisture that is dangerous for delicate roots, flowing down, does not linger and leaves the ground in time.

The soil for growing lemon from the stone at home can be made independently by mixing garden soil, humus and sand. It is useful to add some crushed charcoal to such a substrate, which will reduce the risk of bacterial infections. If you do not have the necessary ingredients on hand, a ready-made citrus substrate, which is easy to buy in a specialty store, will do.

All preparatory work has been completed. Now it's time to start planting. How to grow a lemon from a stone at home?

The best sowing time is the end of winter. Then the hatched sprouts will receive good support in the form of an increasing daylight hours.

Seeds are planted in moist soil to a depth of about two centimeters. Several seeds can be planted in one container at once. Since the first transplant is waiting for the seedlings, when 3-4 true leaves appear on them, the plants will not interfere with each other.

Containers are determined in a greenhouse or placed in heat, after being covered with a bag or film. Do not forget that all citrus fruits are thermophilic, therefore, it is possible to grow a lemon from a seed at home only if a certain temperature regime is observed.

Seedlings will not start growing if the air and soil in the room are colder than +18 ° C. It is optimal if seed germination and subsequent growth takes place at a temperature of 22 to 25 ° C, with constantly high humidity, the absence of drafts and other negative factors. Compliance with simple rules on how to grow a lemon from a seed allows you to get friendly strong seedlings.

On average, from sowing to the moment sprouts appear, it takes from a week to a month. During this time, the soil in the pot can be gently sprayed, but it should be watered only when there are obvious signs of drying out.

With the appearance of green sprouts above the soil surface, they gradually begin to accustom them to room conditions, airing and opening the greenhouse. When 3-4 leaves appear on a young lemon from the stone, the film is removed altogether, and the seedlings are sorted and transferred to their own small pots.

Since the seeds of hybrid fruits do not always carry parental characteristics, citrus growers seeking to get a lemon from the stone at home risk growing a "wild".

It is possible to understand how soon the tree will begin to bear fruit, and what quality the ripe fruits will be, already by external signs. First of all, cultivated citrus trees are distinguished by a small number of thorns on the shoots.

Further care in the first year of seedlings consists in timely watering, transplanting and pinching for the initial formation of the crown of the future tree.
In addition, plants

• in the summer months, after 10–14 days, they are fed, alternating a solution of humus and liquid mineral fertilizers;
• on cloudy days and in the cold season, they are additionally illuminated with the help of fluorescent or LED phytolamps.

The duration of illumination largely affects the flowering and fruiting of plants from the tropical zone. Therefore, the acquisition of such lamps should be taken care of before growing a lemon from a seed.

A transplant for young lemons is carried out annually, and the plant should be transferred very carefully, without disturbing the root system. If the roots have not yet mastered the entire earthen ball, you can get by with replacing the surface layer.

Interested in how to grow a lemon from a stone, many enthusiasts look forward to first shoots, and then the first flowers. But in order not to weaken the plant, the lemon should not be allowed to bear fruit until it reaches the age of 2-3 years. Seed lemon is ripe for flowering when there is only one flower per 15 leaves of its crown.

If earlier the formation of the ovary weakens the tree, then pinching at the age of about a year only contributes to the formation of the crown and lays the foundation for future good harvests. Therefore, in a very young plant, it is necessary to remove all shoots directed deep into the crown, pinch the tops of excessively long shoots, and sometimes turn the pot with a tree so that it is illuminated and develops as evenly as possible.

Part 1. Planting seeds

Part 2. The appearance of the first sprouts

Part 3. Transplanting seedlings