Where does the coconut grow? The habitat of coconut palm

Many people call spruce a symbol of the evergreen taiga. The symbol of the sunny, hot tropics is the coconut tree. At all in representation classical paradise is a tropical landscape with snow-white sandy coasts, the blue sky, the bright sun, surprisingly pure, transparent, places turquoise water and necessarily ... a palm tree.

Where does the coconut grow? The history of its appearance is not entirely known. About this and many other things you can learn by reading this article.

It should be noted that the rather wide distribution of this exotic culture is facilitated by the structure of its fruits, which are capable of watertightness and ease of floating on the waves and thus overcome great distances while retaining their freshness.

History of origin

Where does the coconut grow? The story says that, according to some sources, the coconut tree was born in the Malaysian archipelago. Fossilized fruits were found in New Zealand. It is also known that palm trees have been growing in India for 4000 years. Therefore, many scientists believe that this type of palm trees appeared precisely on the coasts of the Indian Ocean.

So perhaps the homeland of coconut is Southeast Asia, Polynesia, India, the Pacific Islands, Hawaii, South Florida, the Caribbean and Southern California.

In fact, the tree is the most common and necessary in the tropics, and is practically a "tree of life." And this is true, because in the life of people all of its parts are used.

Palm coconut - this is one of the most ancient trees in the entire globe, growing even in the era of dinosaurs.

Places of growth

Where do coconuts grow, in which country? This exotic fruit today exists in the wild, and in culture in the Philippines, Africa, Sri Lanka, South America, India, Brazil, Thailand and the Antilles. All these countries are characterized by a rather hot tropical climate.

They are culturally grown mainly in developing countries. The volume of annual production of coconuts is amazing. Approximately 17 billion nuts are collected annually, where coconuts grow. The Philippines is the world's leading producer. In addition to it - Indonesia, Malaysia and India.

This fruit is the most famous of the huge Palm family (about 1500). There are altogether more than 360 ways of using it, half of them related to cooking.

This plant is exclusively equatorial. Widespread is associated with the attitude of a person to this plant (eating fruit-nuts, artificial planting).

Growth conditions

Where does the coconut grow? A photo with views of the sea coasts often has as its main element this beautiful exotic tree. This plant in nature can be found along the coasts of the ocean and the seas, and on the plains, but mostly with sandy soil.

A similar growth is associated with the fact that the only possible natural way of moving coconuts is along the surface of the water. Moving to distant shores, coconuts, which have excellent waterproof properties, have successfully conquered new territories. Palm trees, which grow far from the coast, are the result of human activity.

Palm coconut in natural conditions

Where the coconut grows, as it is usually associated, there are clean beaches. This is a paradise island, where you can have a good rest, swimming in a warm, gentle sea.

What is a coconut palm? Single barrel in the form of a pillar in its mature state can reach a height of 30 meters. It bizarrely bends under the influence of the weight of numerous fruits and various natural phenomena. The crown of the palm is crowned with large leaves up to 6 meters long.

Approximately at the age of 5, flowering begins, after which fruit soon appears in the form of nut kernels. Up to a mature size, they grow 6 months, but they become absolutely ripe only after a year. Usually palms produce about 25 fruits per year, and ideally the number of nuts can reach up to 70 pieces.

The total life expectancy of a palm tree is about 90 years, so most often it represents a food source and an object of ownership for many generations of Aborigines.

Coconut cultivated

Where do coconuts grow in culture? In many hot countries. Almost artificially grown palm fruiting begins with 7-9 years, and this lasts for about 50 years. Fruits are arranged in groups of up to 20 pieces together. They completely ripen within 9-10 months. The yield of one tree per year is 60-120 fruits.

This tropical unique tree is the only representative of the genus Coconut, one of the most useful palm trees in the world.

Description of coconut

Where the coconut grows, the fruits look a little different than people see it on the shelves of trading halls. In natural conditions, the nut is much larger.

The outer fibrous shell (exokarp) of the walnut protects it when it falls. The inner shell (endocarp) is a shell with 3 pores, similar to the eyes. They lead to three ovules, one of which develops into a seed consisting of a superficial fleshy layer of white color (thickness 12 mm) and endosperm (transparent and liquid - coconut water). The oil that emerges in it, emitted by copra, slowly turns into a milk emulsion, and then thickens, hardens.

Application

For construction, wood and palm leaves are widely used , and fruits are used for food. However, it should be noted that for many people this palm tree can be a tree of death, since the impact of a coconut falling on the head can even lead to death. According to the existing statistics, about 150 people die each year from the fall of these fruits. On average, the weight of the coconut is about 1 kilogram (there are also 3-kilogram), and about the ground it beats with a force of 1 ton. To a greater extent, the people of those countries where the coconut grows have an excellent natural material.

Reproduction

Coconut breeds with nuts. To grow it at home, you should put the fruit half in the prepared potted soil. Usually a young plant is a bundle of flexible, broad leaves. Then a more mature palm tree appears trunk. However, the chances of getting fruits at home are zero, even in greenhouses.

Be sure to remember the following: in order to grow a coconut at home, you must use a mature fruit. This is an important condition.

Coconut should be placed in a soil containing a lot of sand, so that the eyes located at its base, eventually turned to the side (almost horizontal position).

To accelerate the germination process, you must constantly keep the substrate moist. Spray the planted walnut can be a solution with a small content of sea salt. It is also possible to put a pot of nuts in a plastic bag, as this will help maintain the appropriate atmosphere (high humidity and temperature).

Coconut is a photophilous plant, which requires at least 12 light hours for normal growth. Beginning in May and throughout the summer, abundant watering is needed 2 times a week, and usually one moderate watering is enough for this period. Fertilize can be special means for palm and infusion of mullein.

For sprouting germs, the optimum temperature is 24 ° C, and for an adult plant - about 22 ° C.

Usually, the following types of coconut palms are used for growing at home: the Vegetel coconut and miniature.

Copra

Coconut water is the inside of the endosperm, and the outer part of it is the copra. The second is the source of coconut oil, which is a rather valuable product in connection with the content of various fatty acids in it. It is mainly used for health and cosmetic purposes.

This is an oily dried secondary endosperm of nuts. Consists of copra from white or yellowish pieces, covered with skin. Their thickness is 6-12 mm. One nut yields up to 500 grams of copra, an edible product containing 9% protein, 6% water, 16% carbohydrate and 67% fat.

Where the coconut grows, the preparation of copra in its time was almost the main occupation of the inhabitants of the islands in the tropics. Atolls (where there were few palm trees) were specially planted with coconut palms. Copra is a valuable commercial product, which has long been traded on the southern seas. And today they are engaged in its preparation.

The largest copra miners are the Filipinos. It is prepared by both large companies and farmers.

It should be noted that if the copra is not dried properly, molds can be formed on it, producing fatal poison (Aflatoxin). This most powerful carcinogen can cause liver disease. Copra can not be used for food, but it is sold. Oil is obtained from it, and it, obtained by industrial method, is harmless.

Coconut tree in the "Archaeid"

Where does the coconut grow? "Archaej" (Korean fantasy multiplayer online game) uses coconut as one of the game elements. Action in the game takes place in the universe (fantasy world) ArcheAge. From coconuts here, as well as from any other fruits, it is possible to make juice. Most importantly, their purpose in ArcheAge is to manufacture the lacquered composition needed to create leather armor. And this lacquer can be either sold, or used to create its own equipment.

Where does coconut grow in this fictitious country?

1. In the marshy lowlands.
2. On the ground of talking stones.
3. On the peninsula of dawn.

In ArcheAge, coconut palm is one of such trees, seedlings of which can not be bought from consortium traders. And the fruits in the game are necessary for the production of some useful potions and the best armor.

In conclusion about the amazing properties of the product

In the period of 1941-1945 (the Pacific War), the conflicting parties used coconut water as an "alternative" to the plasma for the treatment of the wounded. This is quite a universal tool, identical to the human blood plasma.

In addition, coconut water in its composition is more nutritious than whole milk. It does not contain cholesterol and less fat. Residents of the tropics have surprisingly useful in all respects a natural plant.