Green Pacific cocos are quite resilient.

[GottmitAlex]

Here's is a picture of one of my two green Pacific coconuts. It has been exposed to the elements throughout this winter. (No tarp). Its leaflets are green as they can be. For comparison, my 2 year old golden malayan dwarf has its leaflets tips browned out. 

I'm pretty sure, (our coldest night was dec 29, 2018, 3.7c ) the green pacifics are "hardier".

Pictures from tonight: we had rain this week. Today was no exception.

 

Edited January 18, 2019 by GottmitAlex

[GottmitAlex]

 

[quaman58]

So, where does one go to get any particular variety?

[kinzyjr]

9 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

Here's is a picture of one of my two green Pacific coconuts. It has been exposed to the elements throughout this winter. (No tarp). Its leaflets are green as they can be. For comparison, my 2 year old golden malayan dwarf has its leaflets tips browned out. 

I'm pretty sure, (our coldest night was dec 29, 2018, 3.7c ) the green pacifics are "hardier".

Pictures from tonight: we had rain this week. Today was no exception.

Interesting find.  If they prove to be more cool/wet hardy, that will certainly expand the range where coconuts can be planted.  The dry season here has been cool but not below freezing since November.  My coconut palms have a few brown fronds at this point from the cool, but are otherwise fine.  This variety might handle those conditions a little better than the Malayans, Maypans, or the Jamaican Talls that I currently have.

[Zeeth]

I have a few varieties from the "Pacific", and there's a bit of variation there. The Pacific subtypes actually have the highest genetic diversity within coconuts. My green Hawaiian tall (Niu Hiwa) has done very well and seems to be more tolerant of cool temps than my other coconuts (especially evident after last year's low temp of 28.6˚F). Here's what it looks like now:

 

I also have a few Panama talls, both golden and green. The greens are too young to determine cold hardiness, but the golden one seems more sensitive. I donated two greens to Kopsick Palm Arboretum and two goldens to Selby Gardens, so I'll post some updates on those once they've gained some size.

 

I also have another Pacific Tall coconut that's been extremely cool sensitive. I got it unlabelled from a local food market, but I think it might be from the Philippines. The lowest temp it's seen so far this winter has been 41˚F, and it's already 75% damaged. It's actually the most sensitive variety that I've ever grown. I'm attaching an updated picture here. It had 10 leaves before winter started and they all died when we got down to 41˚, so it's down to 2 now. Hopefully it gains some hardiness as it gains size.

[kinzyjr]

2 hours ago, Zeeth said:

I have a few varieties from the "Pacific", and there's a bit of variation there. The Pacific subtypes actually have the highest genetic diversity within coconuts. My green Hawaiian tall (Niu Hiwa) has done very well and seems to be more tolerant of cool temps than my other coconuts (especially evident after last year's low temp of 28.6˚F). Here's what it looks like now:

I also have a few Panama talls, both golden and green. The greens are too young to determine cold hardiness, but the golden one seems more sensitive. I donated two greens to Kopsick Palm Arboretum and two goldens to Selby Gardens, so I'll post some updates on those once they've gained some size.

I also have another Pacific Tall coconut that's been extremely cool sensitive. I got it unlabelled from a local food market, but I think it might be from the Philippines. The lowest temp it's seen so far this winter has been 41˚F, and it's already 75% damaged. It's actually the most sensitive variety that I've ever grown. I'm attaching an updated picture here. It had 10 leaves before winter started and they all died when we got down to 41˚, so it's down to 2 now. Hopefully it gains some hardiness as it gains size.

How has the Fiji Dwarf held up to this year's cool fall/winter?

[Zeeth]

3 minutes ago, kinzyjr said:

How has the Fiji Dwarf held up to this year's cool fall/winter?

My big Fiji dwarf is doing just fine. It stood up against 28.6˚F unprotected last winter with only about 50% damage and no bud problems, which is better than about half my other coconuts (including Red Spicata dwarf, golden Panama tall, Criollo tall, and Maypan). My smaller Fiji dwarves are currently doing well through this winter (their first). My experience so far has been that they're not nearly as cold sensitive as I've heard reported. 

[GottmitAlex]

6 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

Interesting find.  If they prove to be more cool/wet hardy, that will certainly expand the range where coconuts can be planted.  The dry season here has been cool but not below freezing since November.  My coconut palms have a few brown fronds at this point from the cool, but are otherwise fine.  This variety might handle those conditions a little better than the Malayans, Maypans, or the Jamaican Talls that I currently have.

Hear, hear. Quite right!

By "hardiier" I meant (in my climate) cool hardiness. Not cold hardiness. Since I was not referring to lowest low temps. We bottomed this winter on 3.7c while the previous winter we dipped to 5c. But yes, it's the ongoing cool weather I am referring to. 10c-16c.

More to the point, the fact of the matter is : I honestly dont know if these two are talls or dwarfs.

I only know they are Pacific green.

But hey! Tomorrow (Saturday, 19th) they're calling for low 80's in eastern Tijuana. Fingers crossed.

Edited January 18, 2019 by GottmitAlex

[DavidLee]

Zeeth, your coconut palms are recovering nicely. Where did get your Hawaiian Green Tall from?

[Zeeth]

16 minutes ago, DavidLee said:

Zeeth, your coconut palms are recovering nicely. Where did get your Hawaiian Green Tall from?

Thanks! I got it from Garrin Fullington back in 2010. It's started flowering now, so I'm planning on hand pollinating them and donating some seedlings to the botanical gardens around here. It's such a nice variety that I want to make sure to spread it around some.

[DavidLee]

Do you think I could get the same results if I bought any Hawaiian Green Tall?

[Zeeth]

53 minutes ago, DavidLee said:

Do you think I could get the same results if I bought any Hawaiian Green Tall?

I would think so. There are two varieties of Hawaiian tall in Hawaii: Green (Niu Hiwa), and golden (Niu Lelo). They are quite distinct from each other in their leaf morphology, but they seem to be relatively consistent within the variety. The golden is nice too, but I prefer the green for its faster growth rate and greater cool hardiness. 

I'll let you know if I end up with a surplus of coconuts and you'd like to trade for one.

[DavidLee]

Ok thanks a lot. I will send you a message later. 

[Bryanr04]

On 1/18/2019 at 2:22 PM, Zeeth said:

My big Fiji dwarf is doing just fine. It stood up against 28.6˚F unprotected last winter with only about 50% damage and no bud problems, which is better than about half my other coconuts (including Red Spicata dwarf, golden Panama tall, Criollo tall, and Maypan). My smaller Fiji dwarves are currently doing well through this winter (their first). My experience so far has been that they're not nearly as cold sensitive as I've heard reported. 

where do you get or buy fiji dwarfs from?

[Zeeth]

2 minutes ago, Bryanr04 said:

where do you get or buy fiji dwarfs from?

There are a few sources out of Hawaii that sell "Samoan dwarf" coconuts, which are the same type under a different name, and there are also some sources in Florida, most of which get theirs from the USDA in Miami. The Hawaiian ones tend to have larger coconuts than the ones from the USDA in Florida, but both have a very short stature of the mature trees. 

[Bryanr04]

On 1/20/2019 at 9:35 PM, Zeeth said:

There are a few sources out of Hawaii that sell "Samoan dwarf" coconuts, which are the same type under a different name, and there are also some sources in Florida, most of which get theirs from the USDA in Miami. The Hawaiian ones tend to have larger coconuts than the ones from the USDA in Florida, but both have a very short stature of the mature trees. 

Is it free to go to the usda or Chapman field and collect coconuts?

[kinzyjr]

This article is a little dated (11 years), but it outlines the potential lethal yellowing resistance that got me interested in this cultivar:

https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2008/fiji-dwarf-coconut-is-one-tough-nut/

I had forgotten about it myself, but there was another thread where we talked about Chapman Field and Fiji Dwarf coconuts last spring for anyone that missed it:

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/56003-chapman-field-fiji-dwarf-coconuts/

1 hour ago, Bryanr04 said:

Is it free to go to the usda or Chapman field and collect coconuts?

Good question!  I'd be interested to know as well.  I guess if all else fails, we can call: https://www8.miamidade.gov/global/recreation/about-parks.page

[Zeeth]

10 hours ago, Bryanr04 said:

Is it free to go to the usda or Chapman field and collect coconuts?

It's free, but you have to have a valid reason. In the past, I've used the fact that I was collecting them to donate to Kopsick and Selby (which was true, as all of the coconuts I collected then were donated). I believe that you may state that you've had no success with finding the variety for sale in Florida (which is also true). However, it's currently closed due to the government shut-down, so you'll have to wait until that's over with to try. 

You might also try Fairchild. They have Fiji dwarf coconuts growing in Plots 89 and 189a. Sometimes you get lucky with finding nuts under those. 

[kinzyjr]

10 hours ago, Zeeth said:

It's free, but you have to have a valid reason. In the past, I've used the fact that I was collecting them to donate to Kopsick and Selby (which was true, as all of the coconuts I collected then were donated). I believe that you may state that you've had no success with finding the variety for sale in Florida (which is also true). However, it's currently closed due to the government shut-down, so you'll have to wait until that's over with to try. 

You might also try Fairchild. They have Fiji dwarf coconuts growing in Plots 89 and 189a. Sometimes you get lucky with finding nuts under those. 

You'll probably have good luck.  I was actually just at Fairchild over Christmas and the Fiji Dwarf was pretty full.  I didn't harvest anything since I didn't want to be a rule breaker... must be getting old.