62 Enlightening Facts About Dwarf Coconut Tree That You Won’t Believe

When most people think of a tropical beach, they envision a palm tree dangling over a crystal blue ocean.

Indeed, the crowd of coconut palm trees is a common sight at beaches as they are a lot more than just aesthetically pleasing. These palm trees bear fruit in abundance, and coconuts are also used in the manufacturing of many products.

The coconut palm grows in tropical areas and is named after the fruit it generates. Dwarf coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) can be compared to regular palms but for one major difference: size.

Dwarf palms are both narrower and shorter than regular palms. Because of their modest size, they are popular among homeowners because they are simpler to fit into a side or back yard. A dwarf palm, unlike dwarf fruit trees, cannot be cultivated inside a house.

There are many dwarf coconut varieties like the Fiji Dwarf, Macapuno coconut, Yellow Dwarf coconuts, and some hybrid coconut dwarf varieties. They have a variety of uses, most of which are very good for the health of both the body and the skin.

Botanically speaking, the fruit of the coconut palm is a kind of drupe, which are those fruits that have a large seed inside them. Among the many products made from coconut, coconut water is the most incredible one.

This clear liquid has a sweet and refreshing taste. Coconut water has many nutrients as well and is also a very good alternative to regular water.

Talking about coconut meat, it is kind of fleshy and is found inside the shell with the water of the coconut palm. Ripe coconuts are supposed to have harder meat than those that are still at a young age.

But regardless of the age, all the meats of coconuts have beneficial nutrition, oil, and fat, which act as boosters to the immune system, lower blood pressure, and help in controlling weight. Coconut milk and coconut oil are both extracted from the meat of the coconut.

As a very good alternative to olive oil and canola oil, coconut oil helps in maintaining the fat levels of the body. Coconut milk has a rich and sweet taste and is widely used in many dishes of Asian cuisine.

If you enjoyed reading this article and want to read more about coconuts, then you can read our articles on coconut fruit and types of coconuts here at Kidadl!

Tall Varieties of Coconuts

The tall coconut varieties are very popular worldwide, and among them, the two that are most widely grown are the West Coast Tall and the East Coast Tall. They can live up to 90 years and can grow at an altitude of 2800 ft (853.4 m).

Their maximum height is 59 ft (18 m), sometimes more than that. Tall coconut palms grow in a variety of soil conditions, including red loams and coastal sands.

The nuts of coconuts from such trees are medium-large in size, and they commonly come in a variety of hues, including yellow, brown, green, and orange.

These trees can also cross-pollinate, implying that they share genetic material with a variety of other species. As a result, there is more variety in the features of the coconut.

The Jamaican Tall coconut palms have a height of 100 ft (30.4 m). They are native to Jamaica and need well-drained soil and a good amount of moisture and sunlight.

They are very beautiful and fast-growing coconut palms and can even live up to 75 years. The canopy of these trees is very globose and dense, which forms a cluster of huge dark green leaves. The trunks of these trees are very tall and swollen from the base, which is a distinctive feature of this variety.

Panama Tall palms gain a height of 90 ft (27.43 m) on maturing and need medium moisture with high amounts of sunlight and well-drained soil. They are also known as 'Pacific Tall' and are very famous for their hardiness.

These palms are very resistant to speedy winds and are amongst the coldest resistant palm trees.

The Panama Palm coconut trees are perfect for growing in the areas of subtropical regions with frequent storms where the temperature can drop below 70 F (21.11 F). They are very similar to the Jamaican trees in resemblance but have a better shape than the umbrella canopy.

Dwarf Coconut Palms

Yellow Malayan Dwarf Coconut Palms- They can attain a height of around 60 ft (18.2 m) which puts them in the category of semi-dwarf coconut palms. Their fronds are 17-40 in (43.1-101.6 cm) long and yield brown, yellow, or green coconuts that are nearly 10 in (25.4 cm) in diameter.

Just like the ripped and tall coconut palms, Malayan yellow dwarf coconut palms are also susceptible to the lethal yellowing disease.

The better version is the Red Malayan Dwarf Coconut Palms, as they are more resistant. Some other varieties are the ‘Green’ and ‘Golden’, which are named after the color of coconut.

Fiji Dwarf Coconuts- They are also called Niuleka, are slowly growing palms that can take up to 19 years to completely grow and attain the height of 25 ft (7.6 m). This height puts them into the pure dwarf coconut palms category.

This variety is even more resistant to the yellowing disease as compared to Malayan Dwarf coconut palms. But their fronds and leaves are comparatively less attractive. Their trunks are thick and bear green or golden coconuts.

Chowghat Dwarf Greens: They yield their fruits after four years of being grown. The maximum height which they attain is around 17-23 ft (5.1-7 m) which makes them fall under the category of pure dwarf palm trees. They produce small green coconuts that have a beak on them.

This variety is very popular in India, but can also be seen throughout the world in tropical areas. Chowghat Dwarf Greens were also tested for the lethal yellowing disease, but they came out to be not as resilient as the Fiji Dwarf Coconuts.

Chowghat Orange Dwarf- Chowghat Orange dwarfs are very susceptible to speedy winds and are not advised to be grown in areas where the wind speed is about 50 mph (80.4 kph).

Just like its relative, Chowghat Green Dwarf, this palm tree also comes under the true dwarf tree category. The fruit of this tree has orange skin.

This tree was a specific cultivator and was created by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute in India in the year 1991. The maximum height that this tree can attain is around 22 ft (6.7 m).

Pilipog Dwarf Coconut Palm Trees- They are a native species of the Philippines. They are known for their high fruit yield, even if they have a height of 25 ft (7.62 m) like the Fiji Dwarf. It has a round shape and green-colored coconuts that make it a considerable farming tree.

Catigan Coconut: They are also native to the Philippines, like the Pilipog dwarf. Catigan coconuts are green in color and are medium in size and round in shape.

They also have a very small tip and a thick outer husk. This variety is a true dwarf coconut palm tree and can attain a maximum height of 20 ft (6 m).

Brazilian Green Dwarfs: Brazilian Green Dwarfs, just like their name, are a native species of Brazil, yet they grow throughout the world in tropical areas. The trunks of this tree can have a diameter of up to 9 in (22.8 cm).

They are also considered true dwarfs and can attain a height of 15 ft (4.5 m) at a maximum. Even though they have a very small size, these trees still yield oblong and green coconuts with hard meat and sweet milk.

Origin of the Dwarf coconut

The dwarf varieties of coconut palm owe their origins to Southeast Asia, which has tall cultivars that are closest to dwarf coconuts genetically.

Although coconut palms are resilient predators, mealybugs and spider mites may be found on the leaves. A fungal disease affects coconut trees, causing yellowing foliage, fruit drop, and ultimate death. Antibiotics can be administered to coconut trees, although this treatment is not always effective, and most coconut palms succumb to the disease.

Growing a Dwarf Coconut Tree

Dwarf coconut trees can thrive in a variety of well-drained soils having a pH of between 5.0 and 8.0. They can also be sustained in brackish soils or direct sprays of salt, which makes them eligible enough to be grown along the seaside.

Palms also have the ability to handle flooding and extremely windy conditions. The short nature of dwarf coconut serves as an advantage in standing still during hurricane-force winds as compared to tall coconut palm trees.

They are also very easy to maintain. If you want to witness the best performance of the palm tree, you should plant it somewhere where it can receive sunlight.

The location for the plantation of palm trees should be large enough so that it won't interfere with various structures and power lines, as these trees can attain a spread of more than 30 ft (9.14 m).

If you are planting these trees in low-lying areas where the soil is wet most of the time, you should create bedding that is around 3 ft (91.44 cm) in height and can lift the roots.

Also, take into consideration clearing any grass or weeds from that area, as they are unwanted vegetation and they rob the moisture and nutrients from the soil, which the coconut tree requires.

Apart from that, if you are planting multiple palms, you should make sure that the bedding area is at least 18 ft (5.4 m) away to avoid the crowding of trees that are getting mature.

In preparing to plant them, loosen the soil in the area by making a hole that should be around 2 ft (60.9 cm) wide and 3 ft (91.4 m) deep. This makes it easy for the roots to establish themselves in the soft soil.

If the soil is very rocky or hard, you can mix the topsoil before planting.

However, it is not advised to add any extra elements to the soil. So, after preparing the area and digging a hole, place the dwarf coconut tree a little deep inside the hole, and remove or add the extra soil according to need.

If the dwarf coconut tree was grown in the field, plant it at the same depth as before, but if it was grown in a container, plant it 1 in (2.54 cm) deeper than it was growing within the pot.

Refill the hole with soil and use your foot to tighten up the area around the palm. You should apply a 4 in (10.1 cm) layer of organic material to lock in the soil moisture and to prevent the growth of unwanted weeds.

After planting it, saturate the site with water to make sure that the roots are soaked.

Continue to irrigate it several times on a weekly basis so that, in time, the coconut tree can establish itself in the soil.

It is advised to provide at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of water on a weekly basis in the first year of the growth of palm trees. This depends on the weather conditions of the area.

Also, fertilize the tree every three months with high quality and special palm solutions to direct the amount of fertilizer suitable for the palm.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for dwarf coconut tree, then why not take a look at canned coconut milk nutrition facts or coconut nutrition facts?