Types Of Coconuts: Amazing Facts On Coconut Trees Revealed For Kids

When it comes to tropical destinations, one of the first plants we think about is the coconut tree.

Be it a beachy destination or a sigh of relief on a hot day; coconuts come to our rescue. The fruit plays an important role in the lives of people where it belongs, especially in tropical countries like Malaysia.

Studies show that the consumption of coconut oil, and coconut products, in general, are on the rise due to the versatility of the tree. Even though most people would prefer to include coconuts in their lives for health benefits, most don't know much about these beautiful tall trees.

Hence, we thought of shedding light on some of the aspects of coconut, which is actually a species of palm trees. And, we will dive into the different types of coconuts that you get.

So, keep reading to know more about coconut palms.

Afterward, why not also read about types of cactus or types of clouds here on Kidadl.

Benefits Of Coconuts For Health

When it comes to benefits, no one can beat coconut. You can use almost every part of it, and especially coconut meat contains vital nutrients needed for our body.

There are a lot of benefits attached to the coconut plant. The foremost being that the water you get from green coconuts is rich in electrolytes.

Hence, by drinking this water, you not only get refreshed but also your body replenishes the much-needed energy. Almost all young green fruits of coconut palms are used for getting coconut water.

When it comes to meat, apart from being a really tasty food, it's also used to produce coconut milk, nutrient-rich non-dairy milk.

It's also often dried to produce the coveted coconut milk that has anti-inflammatory properties and is really good for your hair as well as your body. Coconut oil is also rich in MCT, which helps in boosting your health and brain function.

Apart from the obvious benefits of the edible part, the non-edible parts of the coconut are also important. The husk derived after talking out the inner fruit is often used to make ropes, cocopeat, and even as a filler in mattresses.

On the other hand, the beautiful dark green leaves are used for making brooms, mats, kindling, and even roofs of huts. The trunk, especially of the tall coconuts, are dried and used for making boats in certain countries.

Which dwarf coconut tree is best?

The Malayan dwarf coconut is said to be one of the best dwarf varieties that are present out there. However, we would indeed like to tell you a bit about the other dwarf variants.

As you might know, the Malayan yellow dwarf coconut, that's also referred to as the Malayan dwarf, originates in Indonesia. It is one of the hybrid coconut varieties that doesn't grow too tall but has the ability to yield a lot of coconuts.

The meat is said to be tender, sweet, and tasty, making the golden Malay coconut popular worldwide. As the fruit starts off green, the tree is also known as the Malayan green dwarf.

Another popular variant of dwarf coconuts has to be the Fiji dwarf variety. The Fiji dwarf coconut survived the illness that destroyed most of the coconut trees in Fiji.

This variant is quite popular in Florida, and you can even find it in people's backyards. The Fiji dwarf coconut palm lives for a long time, giving you a lot of fruits to enjoy.

One of the other dwarf coconut varieties that farmers tend to grow has to be the dwarf orange coconuts. The young fruits are a bit darker than the yellow dwarf coconuts.

Even though this variant has a short lifespan of around 40 years, farmers do like it for the immense produce. It takes around three to four years for these dwarf coconuts to mature before they can yield fruit. There is also a type of variant known as the green dwarf coconut that can have 60-70 fruits in a year.

But, the green variant is susceptible to root rot. A dwarf coconut plant is easily identifiable due to its short height compared to the tall variants.

Even though these aren't technically dwarf, the king coconut and the VHC1 coconut may belong to an in-between point. The king coconut is native to Sri Lanka but is widely grown around southern India, and the king coconuts are known for their sweet meat that can be used in creating desserts.

Why coconut tree is called Kalpavriksha in India?

One of the countries where you can surely find coconut palm trees is indeed India. In fact, coconut trees are also known as Kalpavriksha because of their sacred position in Hindu rituals.

When you visit a Hindu puja ceremony, you are bound to find some form of coconut being present in rituals. The immature coconut is often used close for the Gods, while the mature meat of a ripened coconut is used to make delicious offerings.

In Sanskrit, coconut trees are often called Kalpavriksha or the divine tree. It's said to have come out during the churning of the ocean or Samudra Manthan. One of the foremost reasons for its importance lies in the numerous ways coconut palm can be used in daily life.

On your visit to the southern part of India, you may find the trunk of coconut trees being carved into boats. In fact, even a discarded portion, such as the husk derived from the mature fruit, can be used to plant trees, and it's also used for purifying a place for rituals.

Indians have also devised the ingenious way of extracting the palm sugar or jaggery that can be used in making delicious sweets.

Difference Between A Brown Coconut And A Green Coconut

There is seldom any difference between a brown and a green coconut except age.

To be honest, most people have either seen a coconut that's brown when it's fully mature or one that's green, which is the young fruit. Most coconuts, except the golden variants, grow fruits that are green.

At the young stage, it has a softer exterior and interior that's filled with coconut water. At times, the coconut fruit might have developed thin, watery meat.

Many farmers would take down the green coconuts at this stage to sell them for the water. The husk of the green coconut is usually more compact and white in color.

Now, if the fruit is left to mature on the coconut trees, it will gradually become browner as it matures. At this time, brown coconut fruits are harvested mainly for coconut meat.

The husk is much drier, and the inside shell would have thickened. Along with that, coconut fruits have much less water at this stage.

Some will let the coconut fruits mature as much as possible to get coconut oil from the meat. Other than this, if you notice a golden immature coconut, then it's most likely to have come from a coconut plant of a different species.

Did You Know

Here are some of the facts that you need to know about different types of coconuts.

The coconut palm is a monotypic species Cocos nucifera that can grow edible coconuts. However, there are over 80 different types of coconuts that have been found to arise in the same species based on the location and cultivars. A tree fruits once a year.

As you may know, coconuts like to grow in tropical weather. Almost 75% of the world's coconut originates in the Philippines, Indonesia, and India.

We still don't know the native origin of the first coconut plants. But, in the tropics, coconuts can grow naturally due to their transportation by humans.

At times coconut fruits may travel through water before germinating on the land near a coast. That might be the reason why coconut trees are commonly seen beside oceans. Other than that, coconut trees also prefer sandy soil with a pH level of around 5.5-7.5, which is especially found beside the ocean.

However, the transportation of seeds has led to coconut being grown in countries like the US, especially in Florida. You might not have seen fruits on a coconut palm tree in Florida either due to harvesting, or it might not have been coconut palm at all.

Even though all coconuts that are usually grown are edible, the most common has to be the variants of east coast tall coconut and the west coast tall coconut. Both are tall coconuts and may produce about 60-70 coconuts in a year.

The east coast tall coconut trees are said to grow a bit taller than the west coast tall coconut varieties. It can take the east coast tall up to eight years before producing any fruits.

Other common tall coconut trees include the Panama tall coconuts, the Jamaican tall, the Maypan coconut, the Macapuno coconuts. The Panama tall variant is especially seen on Pacific islands.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy!

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