Do Coconuts Grow On All Palm Trees?


Not all palm trees grow coconuts. There is only one variety ‘cocos nucifera’ that produce coconuts on them.

Palm Trees Have Coconuts That Grow On Them

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Have you ever wondered where do coconuts come from? If you are thinking palm trees, you may be partially right.
 
“Partially” – Why?
 
Because do all palm trees have coconuts?
 
No!
 
Well! It is safe to say that coconut trees belong to the family of palm trees. So, all coconut trees are a part of the palm family but not all palm trees come bearing coconuts.
 
If you notice their leaves, all palms have similar-looking leaves. But there are still many distinctive features and characteristics which set apart palm trees from coconut trees. So, let’s get started and discuss everything about palm trees and coconut trees in detail.
 

Is Coconut A Part Of The Palm Family?

Yes, all coconut trees are a part of the palm tree family known by the name Arecaceae or Palmaceae.
 
In fact, they both feature long and gracefully thin fronds that are lush green. It generally grows and spread from the top of an unbranched stem.
 
You can safely grow both coconut trees and palm trees with the right care. Even if you want to grow these indoors, you can grow certain varieties indoors with proper fertilization, indirect exposure to the sun, and persistent watering. They will grow fine, even if you place them on your porch under low-light conditions.
 

Are There Palm Trees That Don’t Grow Coconuts?

Palm Trees That Don't Grow Coconuts

Tom2DG/istockphoto

 
Yes, there is only one variety of palm trees that yield coconuts.
 
Isn’t it surprising?
 
Among 2600 species of palm trees, only cocos nucifera grow coconuts. So, the answer to do all palm trees produce coconuts, is a clear NO. It is the only type of the genus coco which is still surviving. Typically it is called as coconut palm or coconut tree and originally belongs to the parts of tropical islands based in the western pacific.
 
Since both palm and coconut trees are similar in nature most people think that both of them grow coconuts. However, coconut trees are further categorized as dwarf coconut trees and tall coconut trees.
 
Based on their location, the different varieties of coconut trees showcase different features in terms of size, shape, and color. With stunning green fronds coming out of their unbranched stems, these trees are perfect for decorating the private landscape.
 
So, how palm trees are different from coconut trees, with so many identical features? Continue reading to find out.
 

What’s The Difference Between A Palm Tree and A Coconut Tree?

Difference Between A Palm Tree and A Coconut Tree

Weerawich Ananparit/istockphoto

 
Technically, all coconut trees are palm trees, but the reverse of this is not true. In fact, palm trees differ from coconut trees in several other ways.
 
For instance, palm trees have fan-like leaves, whereas coconut trees have broad leaves. In addition, most palm trees don’t yield fruits whereas coconut trees are known for always bearing fruits.
 
However, most people think, “do palm trees have coconuts on them?”. Surprisingly, it’s not true because there is only one palm tree specie that is known for bearing coconuts.
 
Now, let’s take a look at some other key differences between a palm tree and a coconut tree.
 
A. Based on classification: Even though palm trees and coconut trees are a part of the same family, they have many differences. The palm tree can be classified as a species of Arecaceae family.

Contrastingly, the coconut tree is the only surviving variety of the genus coco and classified as cocos nucifera.

 

B. Based on the description: When you first notice a palm and coconut tree, both of them may look exactly alike. So, it can be difficult to spot any difference between the two, particularly when they don’t have any fruits.

 

However, if you take a close at their trunk you can see that coconut trees have more light and smooth trunks in contrast to that of a palm tree.

 

Also, the height of palm tree varieties might vary in comparison to coconuts. Likewise, you can notice that palm trees have fan-shaped leaves while coconut trees have wider leaves.

 

C. Based on fruits: This is one of the major differences between coconut trees and palm trees. All palm trees don’t produce fruit, except for some varieties which yield nuts, dates, and other kinds of fruits. Whereas, all coconut species produce fruits, i.e. coconuts.

 

How Many Years Does It Take For Coconut Tree (A Palm Type) To Produce A Coconut?

Coconut Tree

solopiero/istockphoto

 
Coconut trees take about 15-20 years to produce a fruit i.e coconut.
 
On an average, a palm tree can live about 60 to 80 years under perfect growing environment. In addition, they can grow to a height of 100 feet while gaining about 6” – 2’ in a single year.
 
When thinking about, “does a palm tree grow coconuts?”. Many people are also curious to learn how often they can harvest coconuts.
 

How Many Times Can You Harvest Coconut?

Generally, you can harvest a coconut palm tree every month. It is popular not only for its ornamental use but also for economic use. Many farmers usually produce 2 to 3 bunches of coconuts from every coconut palm tree in a single harvest cycle.
 
Whereas, the harvesting cycle of these trees vary from 45 to 60 days or 75 to 90 days. Once it reaches the stage of maturity, farmers can collect about 10 to 45 coconuts in a single harvest cycle.
 
Don’t forget to feed ample amounts of fertilizers to your coconut tree. If there are any deficiency nitrogen, potassium, magnesium and manganese, it can lead to problems like spotting, yellowing or splotching on the leaves of palm coconut trees.
 
When it comes to a ripen coconut you can easily notice it from the color. While an immature coconut fruit has a lush green color, a mature coconut is brown in color.
 

Coconut Tree Facts & Queries

Let us look into some popular queries based on coconut trees and why don’t coconuts grow on all palm trees in all regions.
 

Q. Why are there no coconuts on palm trees in Florida?

Ans. There are no coconuts on some Palm trees in Florida because they are not actual coconut trees or lie in the non-tropical regions. Since coconut trees prefer to grow and survive in a moist and humid environment, i.e. most of the tropical and subtropical areas, they have no coconuts on them.
 

Q. What is the rarest coconut?

Ans. There are usually a variety of coconut trees which can be in green or brown color. However, there is a unique type of coconut which is found Seychelles, known as double coconut. Being the rarest varieties of coconut, it is known for its male inflorescence, huge seed and enormous fruit. It is native to Praslin island and Curieuse island located in Seychelles.
 

Q. Are coconut trees easy to grow?

Ans. Yes, coconut trees are easy to grow. With proper care, you can easily grow them at home as an indoor plant or outdoor palm. Just focus on providing a suitable environment like sufficient sunlight, warm climatic conditions, productive soil, and proper fertilization. Most commonly coconut trees are found in tropical regions with warm climates.
 

Q. What is the lifespan of coconut?

Ans. Palm coconut trees normally have an average lifespan of 60 to 100 years. If you grow it from a seed, it can start yielding fruits in around 15 years.
 

Final Word – Do All Palm Trees Have Coconuts?

Though there are several similarities between palm trees and coconut trees, still coconuts don’t grow on all palm trees.