Coconut--an invasive pest plant in Queensland

[Dave-Vero]

from the September 14, 2006 edition - http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0914/p14s02-sten.html

Australia's coconut palms: hammock peg or noxious weed?

By Nick Squires | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor

CAPE TRIBULATION, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

Striding purposefully down a pristine white sand beach in northeastern Australia, Hugh Spencer ignores the bikini-clad sunbathers and instead heads straight for a thick grove of coconut palms.

"Look at this - there are no native plants left. They've all been pushed out by the coconuts," says Dr. Spencer, who heads the Australian Tropical Research Foundation. "The national parks service won't lift a finger - they're seriously underfunded, and they don't want to deal with the issue because it's so contentious."

Swaying coconut trees may symbolize the laid-back lifestyle of the tropics, but in northern Queensland, they are the focus of an acrimonious public debate which has left locals anything but relaxed.

Tourism operators say Cocos nucifera palms are essential to the state's tropical ambience, offering the promise of long lazy days spent swinging in hammocks, sipping cool drinks, and gazing out at the azure waters of the Coral Sea.

But local governments (known as councils) take a dimmer view, fearing hefty lawsuits if the trees drop their hairy harvest on the heads of unsuspecting, and increasingly litigious, tourists. Conservation groups loathe the coconut palm, saying it is an alien, invasive species that is encroaching on native vegetation and crowding out a narrow band of littoral rain forest - one of the rarest types of forest in the world. . . .

____

The CSM is a respected, independent, nonprofit newspaper based in Boston.  I think their policy is to do their own reporting--no wire service material.

[Guest]

An interesting point of view considering that most sources recognize the coconut as indiginous to north Queensland!  What will happen to the world when some people begin calling native species "invasive pests"?

[Palmateer]

Don't be surprised if some Florida activist someday bemoans the countless acres of saw palmetto as crowding out some precious native plants.

[Dave-Vero]

I think Myakka River State Park and a number of other state-owned conservation properties have worked at discouraging saw palmetto, which seems to have increased in coverage in pinelands and dry prairies as a result of traditional winter burning.  Land managers now tend to favor lightning-season burning (rainy season, especially the first week or so).  This tends to stimulate grasses, terrestrial orchids, Catesby lilies, etc.  Of course there was always an abundance of saw palmetto.  The biggest surviving dry prairies are at Kissimmee Prairie State Park, well worth visiting.

[Walter John]

I laugh at these ones, my brother in law had a mate who complained that my garden had no native plants. I've got all the species of Archontophoenix, some Livistona, Licuala ramsayii, Carpentarias, Black palms, atherton palm, walking stick etc etc., but no native plants ?

[Dave-Vero]

In my case, native Sabal minor, Sabal palmetto, and Serenoa repens (blue-leafed).  With native Simpson stoppers, Chrysobalanus icaco, and beach sunflowers.  I can't believe beach sunflowers haven't been exported to occupy the world's tropical beaches and hanging baskets.  They're rather vining, so a single plant can occupy a fairly large area, or hang spectacularly.  

Not to mention that my happiest young Archontophoenix is emerging from a big native Callicarpa bush that's beginning to show off its purple berries.

[SunnyFl]

(Palmateer @ Sep. 21 2006,16:24)

QUOTE

Don't be surprised if some Florida activist someday bemoans the countless acres of saw palmetto as crowding out some precious native plants.

That will definitely happen!

They're already saying it about our (very) native Sea Grape - one of our most striking shrubs.  

Notice there always seems to be an overwhelming need to get rid of anything that might be beautiful  

[spockvr6]

(SunnyFl @ Sep. 21 2006,22:19)

QUOTE

 

Notice there always seems to be an overwhelming need to get rid of anything that might be beautiful  

Yeah....its always the plants that look like straggly weeds that are the ones we are "supposed" to plant!

[aussiearoids]

It costs the local Councils a fortune to get 'NUt Busters' in to cut off excess coconuts . These tree climbers make a killing , they get paid to cut nuts , then they take the green ones to local markets and sell them to tourists . They put on a great show with enormous Crocodile Dundee knives wacking the husk off .

[BobbyinNY]

I deal with the same issues here... It's usually the Old-Timers that complain. It's OLD mentality, and Old people don't like change, but the younger gardeners are way more progressive.

[Tyrone]

I read somewhere that they think the coconut may have "originated" in North Queensland and spread thru the Pacific and then by man's intervention elsewhere. Cape Tribulation without coconuts isn't Cape Tribulation anymore. If Captain Cook could have taken a photo of the Cape when he named it after running the Endeavour into the Barrier Reef he would have photographed a coconut lined beach that looks exactly like it does now. People who make the claim that Coconuts over run and invade coastal rainforest habitats don't know anything about these habitats.

Why do I say this? Well if any of you Coconut weed critics are reading this, take a note of this hard fact.Coconuts NEED LIGHT. Rainforests which are darker than the beach front environment where coconuts hang out, do not support good coconut growth. In fact the coconuts will not self populate an area more than 10 to 20m from the start of vegetation on a beach front because of the lack of light. I've seen this myself at Cape Trib and all thru the Daintree. If the coconut was an invasive weed that had been introduced, it would be right up in the mountains by now and would even be in the Atherton Tablelands like Lantana is. The facts are it isn't anywhere away from the beachfront.

We stayed at a B&B at Cape Trib, where towering Licuala ramsayii's grew wild and tall Normanbya's with lots of Calamus, Archontophoenix alexandrae, typical Daintree, and the owner had planted some Coconuts into this darker environment. They looked sickly, stunted, and were not happy. That proved in my mind, even when temps are ideal, rainfall is copious, and soil nutrients are luxurious, that Cocos nucifera is NOT a rainforest plant, but is a unique palm that only wants to inhabit beaches and estuaries where light is unimpeded.

These facts make it very hard to consider a coconut a weed. I think local councils are ONLY concerned about falling coconuts and litigation. What will they do next? Shoot all the crocs and cassowaries?

My two cents

regards

Tyrone

[SunnyFl]

(Tyrone @ Sep. 22 2006,09:14)

QUOTE

I read somewhere that they think the coconut may have "originated" in North Queensland and spread thru the Pacific and then by man's intervention elsewhere. Cape Tribulation without coconuts isn't Cape Tribulation anymore.....

I think local councils are ONLY concerned about falling coconuts and litigation. What will they do next? Shoot all the crocs and cassowaries?

My two cents

regards

Tyrone

They'll only shoot them if they're beautiful.

Tyrone, you raised excellent points about the coconuts.  And it drives me batty when I hear plants accused of being "invasive" - when they haven't got the means to launch a full attack on their surroundings.  If coconuts can't survive in dense forest, then they're hardly a pest.

I wish terms like "invasive" wouldn't be bandied around so much.  There ARE plants that are horrendous, and literally DO kill out whole forests.  Ever seen kudzu?  No way any palm can do that degree of damage.

When you mentioned litigation, I think you hit the nail on the head.   Couldn't the Councils post signs warning of the coconuts, and protect themselves from liability that way?  I don't know the laws in your country, but it seems there should be a simpler way to protect oneself from lawsuits involving plants.

[SunnyFl]

(spockvr6 @ Sep. 21 2006,22:27)

QUOTE

[Yeah....its always the plants that look like straggly weeds that are the ones we are "supposed" to plant!

Gah! Tell me about it!  

I had to spend da big bucks (that could have been more wisely spent on PALMS) to "replant" with one of those straggly things..... oops, I mean, "natives" - and this thing is a water hog and subject to pests.

In honor of RLR, I may just put a plant-label thing by it with his own words:  "weedy thang."

We're supposed to be xeriscaping! - and they're pushing water hogs!

oh.  and it's not wind-resistant.  whadda deal.

[spockvr6]

Suffice it to say that my yard would likely not earn one of those little "Florida Friendly Yard" signs

[Adam from Oz]

I got into a long argument about this a few years ago when the forum was, um , a board.

Lots of genetic evidence suggests that tropical Australia (as opposed to Hobart) MAY BE the origin of the bloody species.

Other evidence suggests otherwise.

HOWEVER! It was certainly not introduced like Syagrus romanceandstuff which is definitely becoming a weed.

Success in your own habitat does not decree weeddom.

Bloody QLDERS (pollies, of course... :cool: )

Cheers,

Adam

[Zac in NC]

I saw in the article they are blaming it on the hippies as well. I am offended because I have long hair...LOL. All the points made are good ones. I will also be the first to say I used to be a Native only planter. Then I realized that all plants are naive somewhere and not all non-natives are invasive. One of my worst weeds in my garden is a native species, Northern River oats, Uniola latifolia. I can't get rid of the thing to save my life.

Zac

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Lets rally!   I can see it now.  The headlines read "Radical Palm Geeks crusade for Invasive Coconuts!  Some came from as far as North Carolina USA where plastic coconut trees are starting to threaten native vegetation and partyn' vacationers!

[Dave-Vero]

One complication with coconuts is that the large-seeded sorts seem to be the result of selection/breeding by people.  

The Queensland coast seems to have a situation like the Bahamas and south Florida, where tropical cyclones periodically smash up the vegetation (leaving the Livistonas or Sabal palmettos intact), then everything regrows from stems or seed.  

A Florida variant is periodic fires at the beach.  They burn sea grapes and oaks to the ground, force saw palmettos to grow new leaves, and make good conditions for sea oats and beach sunflowers.

[_Keith]

Coconuts are an invasive weed. Man, I sure am glad they don't grow here. I'd have to be out there all day just whacking down those Coconuts.

[Walter John]

Coconuts are an invasive weed. Man, I sure am glad they don't grow here. I'd have to be out there all day just whacking down those Coconuts.

Demerits Keith, you didn't say "Bump"...

I'm attempting to weed manage my coconuts by planting more..

[pogobob]

Coconut palms are invasive topics on palmtalk

[pogobob]

Coconut palms are invasive topics here

[Tropicgardener]

Many years ago when I was working as a Police Officer in the various Cape York Aboriginal missions I would frequently speak to the elders......the elders of Lockhart River Mission told me that Coconuts had been a staple in the community diets of Cape Aboriginals for many generations. There are so many different forms of Coconuts growing up there in isolated areas.........I had to visit Moa Island in the Torres Strait on one occasion and there is a true dwarf growing there with spindle shaped fruit. On asking about it I was told that it was a local form that had been used in religious ceremonies for centuries............

Unfortunately these so called experts don't seek out local knowledge or take into account indigenous records that predate white settlement.

Similar to what Wal said, I had a 'Native Nazi' in my previous garden telling me that I should remove the palms and plant natives...........at the time when this was said to me we were standing in my 'Native' rainforest garden that featured Alexandras, Solitaires, Licualas, Calamus etc !!!

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Many years ago when I was working as a Police Officer in the various Cape York Aboriginal missions I would frequently speak to the elders......the elders of Lockhart River Mission told me that Coconuts had been a staple in the community diets of Cape Aboriginals for many generations. There are so many different forms of Coconuts growing up there in isolated areas.........I had to visit Moa Island in the Torres Strait on one occasion and there is a true dwarf growing there with spindle shaped fruit. On asking about it I was told that it was a local form that had been used in religious ceremonies for centuries............

Unfortunately these so called experts don't seek out local knowledge or take into account indigenous records that predate white settlement.

Similar to what Wal said, I had a 'Native Nazi' in my previous garden telling me that I should remove the palms and plant natives...........at the time when this was said to me we were standing in my 'Native' rainforest garden that featured Alexandras, Solitaires, Licualas, Calamus etc !!!

All these native plant nazis appear to be an invasive pest worldwide, we've got our share here, and they actually go on clandestine eucalyptus destruction operations here in Central California. What they don't realize is that many of the "alien" plants have actually colonized and created wildlife habitat where none existed before.

There's nothing wrong with being interested in native plants and advocating for them. Non-native invasive species can be a problem in some cases where they actually displace endangered native species. Kuzu vine in the South is a perfect example. Passion vines in New Zealand are another.

Unfortunately, many people are incapable of handling shades of gray and they become plant nazis. It's just another form of extremism.

The right answer lies in moderation. I vote the coconuts stay.

[Dypsisdean]

Well said Axel - Here in Hawaii this whole issue takes a very interesting perspective. Because of circumstances too lengthy to expound on here, fear of invasive plants and animals take center stage in Hawaii. But an interesting thing happened in our past.

We have a whole classification of plants that are non-native but are considered native. This dovetails with our recent discussion about whether man is separate or a part of nature. We have a group of plants called "canoe plants." And these are the plants that the colonizing Polynesians brought here with them - plants that were necessary for their survival as they explored the various island chains up and through the So. Pacific. They include the Ti Plant, Banana, Taro, Breadfruit, Bamboo, Sugar Cane, etc. Some people even think coconuts would not have drifted on their own to Hawaii. Other lesser known plants used for medicinal and cultural needs where also brought along in the canoes. And these plants have even come to be accepted as "native" (or at least acceptable) by the strictest native plant nazis over here.

Many of the beautiful flowers in the leis and photos from Hawaii are all non-native plants. Hawaii was actually a rather drab and uninviting place before man arrived and added a little flavor to the place. http://www.canoeplants.com/

[Zeeth]

Well said Axel - Here in Hawaii this whole issue takes a very interesting perspective. Because of circumstances too lengthy to expound on here, fear of invasive plants and animals take center stage in Hawaii. But an interesting thing happened in our past.

We have a whole classification of plants that are non-native but are considered native. This dovetails with our recent discussion about whether man is separate or a part of nature. We have a group of plants called "canoe plants." And these are the plants that the colonizing Polynesians brought here with them - plants that were necessary for their survival as they explored the various island chains up and through the So. Pacific. They include the Ti Plant, Banana, Taro, Breadfruit, Bamboo, Sugar Cane, etc. Some people even think coconuts would not have drifted on their own to Hawaii. Other lesser known plants used for medicinal and cultural needs where also brought along in the canoes. And these plants have even come to be accepted as "native" (or at least acceptable) by the strictest native plant nazis over here.

Many of the beautiful flowers in the leis and photos from Hawaii are all non-native plants. Hawaii was actually a rather drab and uninviting place before man arrived and added a little flavor to the place. http://www.canoeplants.com/

Very interesting stuff.

[_Keith]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Hawaii was actually a rather drab and uninviting place before man arrived and added a little flavor to the place.

Prior to man's interest in plants, particularly in hybridizing for both beauty and quality of feed, nature was an even more drab place, not just in Hawaii, but all across the planet.

[CLINODAVE]

Well said Axel - Here in Hawaii this whole issue takes a very interesting perspective. Because of circumstances too lengthy to expound on here, fear of invasive plants and animals take center stage in Hawaii. But an interesting thing happened in our past.

We have a whole classification of plants that are non-native but are considered native. This dovetails with our recent discussion about whether man is separate or a part of nature. We have a group of plants called "canoe plants." And these are the plants that the colonizing Polynesians brought here with them - plants that were necessary for their survival as they explored the various island chains up and through the So. Pacific. They include the Ti Plant, Banana, Taro, Breadfruit, Bamboo, Sugar Cane, etc. Some people even think coconuts would not have drifted on their own to Hawaii. Other lesser known plants used for medicinal and cultural needs where also brought along in the canoes. And these plants have even come to be accepted as "native" (or at least acceptable) by the strictest native plant nazis over here.

Many of the beautiful flowers in the leis and photos from Hawaii are all non-native plants. Hawaii was actually a rather drab and uninviting place before man arrived and added a little flavor to the place. http://www.canoeplants.com/

I'm not sure I would totally write off Hawaii's ecological beauty before man's arrival. I have been to ohi'a (Metrosideros) forests in the month of May that leave your jaw hanging with the multicolored display of flowers adorning the trees. I do find it perplexing that so many native plant purists don't have a problem with canoe plants, when in fact some of them are remarkably invasive. Example is hau, a common tree hibiscus thoughout the Pacific basin. Here on the east side of the Big Island, it completely dominates the vegetation in certain environments to the exclusion of pretty much anything else. I certainly can see coconuts having drifted here on their own and becoming established.

[Dypsisdean]

I hear you Dave. I live in a natural old growth ohi'a forest and admire and respect the trees. However, newcomers often remark that they are not that attractive. A pending in-law even remarked last month on a visit, "they are kinda ugly, aren't they." But we know where beauty resides, don't we? And plant people have a more "refined" eye.

Re: the coconut. I too find it hard to believe that one coconut could not have found its way here and survived. After all, a goose found its way here. But I have read some convincing reasoning as to why it would have been extremely difficult. And many people smarter than I carry that opinion.

"Probably the best known of all plant drifters is the coconut (Cocos nucifera). In fact, it is hard to imagine a tropical beach without coconut palms. The origin of the coconut and whether it floated to islands of the tropical Pacific has been debated for more than a century. T.H. Everett (Encyclopedia of Horticulture, Vol. 3, 1981) flatly states: "...it has never been found truly wild, every coconut palm is planted by man or derived from such a planting." According to the world authority on palms, E.J.H. Corner (The Natural History of Palms, 1966), "There is no island or shore where its presence is not due directly or indirectly to its having been planted by man." Probably under most situations, coconut seedlings require watering and other attention from humans; however, J.V. Dennis and C.R. Gunn (Economic Botany 25, 1971) cite several localities where coconuts appear to have seeded themselves naturally, including cays in British Honduras (Belize), rocky islets in the Fiji group, the east coast of Trinidad, Cocos-Keeling Atoll in the Indian Ocean, and Krakatau and adjacent islets following the catastrophic eruption of 1883. In addition, I have photographed coconut palms sprouting on Tetiaroa Atoll in French Polynesia. Whether these would survive the ravaging effects of land crabs and intense sunlight and grow into mature palms is hard to say, but there appeared to be palms of different ages along the beaches. I have also observed self-seeded coconut palms growing among mangrove thickets on cays off the coast of Belize."

Add to the above, the set up of the ocean currents in the Pacific, and you can see that a coconut would have floated for a very long time, and in most cases, through some extremely cold water to arrive in Hawaii - and it is kinda in a "blind spot." (See graphic below) Add to the fact that if it did, it probably arrived from islands closer to Hawaii that were in turn colonized by Polynesians carrying what is believed to be a select large Aboriginal variety. The prominent coconut throughout the region is of this larger variety. If it's dispersal were that easy, then you would expect more varied types. But in any case, the history and study of this iconic palm is a great read - and there is no question it was assisted tremendously by man.

I hope you can make it to my garden next month, Nov 3, for the HIPS tour here. We can discuss these matters further.

[Zeeth]

I hear you Dave. I live in a natural old growth ohi'a forest and admire and respect the trees. However, newcomers often remark that they are not that attractive. A pending in-law even remarked last month on a visit, "they are kinda ugly, aren't they." But we know where beauty resides, don't we? And plant people have a more "refined" eye.

Re: the coconut. I too find it hard to believe that one coconut could not have found its way here and survived. After all, a goose found its way here. But I have read some convincing reasoning as to why it would have been extremely difficult. And many people smarter than I carry that opinion.

"Probably the best known of all plant drifters is the coconut (Cocos nucifera). In fact, it is hard to imagine a tropical beach without coconut palms. The origin of the coconut and whether it floated to islands of the tropical Pacific has been debated for more than a century. T.H. Everett (Encyclopedia of Horticulture, Vol. 3, 1981) flatly states: "...it has never been found truly wild, every coconut palm is planted by man or derived from such a planting." According to the world authority on palms, E.J.H. Corner (The Natural History of Palms, 1966), "There is no island or shore where its presence is not due directly or indirectly to its having been planted by man." Probably under most situations, coconut seedlings require watering and other attention from humans; however, J.V. Dennis and C.R. Gunn (Economic Botany 25, 1971) cite several localities where coconuts appear to have seeded themselves naturally, including cays in British Honduras (Belize), rocky islets in the Fiji group, the east coast of Trinidad, Cocos-Keeling Atoll in the Indian Ocean, and Krakatau and adjacent islets following the catastrophic eruption of 1883. In addition, I have photographed coconut palms sprouting on Tetiaroa Atoll in French Polynesia. Whether these would survive the ravaging effects of land crabs and intense sunlight and grow into mature palms is hard to say, but there appeared to be palms of different ages along the beaches. I have also observed self-seeded coconut palms growing among mangrove thickets on cays off the coast of Belize."

Add to the above, the set up of the ocean currents in the Pacific, and you can see that a coconut would have floated for a very long time, and in most cases, through some extremely cold water to arrive in Hawaii - and it is kinda in a "blind spot." (See graphic below) Add to the fact that if it did, it probably arrived from islands closer to Hawaii that were in turn colonized by Polynesians carrying what is believed to be a select large Aboriginal variety. The prominent coconut throughout the region is of this larger variety. If it's dispersal were that easy, then you would expect more varied types. But in any case, the history and study of this iconic palm is a great read - and there is no question it was assisted tremendously by man.

I hope you can make it to my garden next month, Nov 3, for the HIPS tour here. We can discuss these matters further.

I don't know... I have yet to travel to Hawaii (but it's one of my top priorities once I'm done with my education), so I can't say with any authority about the different Hawaiian varieties, but I've received a number of coconuts from the big island that all were stated to be kind found "natively" in Hawaii (I mean present either naturally or due to being a canoe plant, and not an introduced variety), and one group that I received looks exactly like the "wild type" coconut that the Jamaican tall exists as, with medium sized, triangular coconuts that seem ideal for floating. The coconuts from this group look identical to the coconuts that I get from a verified Jamaican tall in my area to sprout. The other group though was huge, more rounded coconuts (not spherical though, like the following picture of a Panama tall coconut: http://nittygrittydirtman.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/img_1322.jpg), with a small amount of husk, which I would expect would have been the kind introduced by the polynesians for drinking. There could be two different introductions of the coconut to Hawaii, because there's no reason that I could see the Hawaiians NOT bringing coconuts with them, but that there might also have existed a more wild type native coconut. The other option is that the Polynesians could have had two types of coconuts, one for coir and one for drinking/meat. I think though that it isn't valid to say that there is only one type, which is the domestic type, so they must be a Polynesian introduction, because I don't agree that only one type exists. Feel free to correct me though, because obviously it'd be better to have a larger sample size than two different shipments of 2 coconuts each to determine that both types actually are the common type in Hawaii.

[Dypsisdean]

Zeeth,

I will defer to your knowledge over mine in regard to type. I know next to nothing about coconuts. But to clarify - Hawaii has been a major destination for enough time that several generations of different types could be here now. I would be interested to know how the type count would be on the numerous Polynesian islands throughout the So. Pacific less commercially traveled. And whether there is evidence that they might have been selected by more than natural selection - that is, the best growing and largest types that made it into the canoes.

[sarasota alex]

It's always easier to build a career by going after other people, than to do so by doing something creative. The sad part is that a lot of these people don't even care about the "native" plants. Just a niche for them to advance in life using their natural talents of being a piece of sh... garbage.

[KrisKupsch]

Qld is a plant nazi state, they list just about anything as noxious.

Hugh is correct but its not worth much thought, there are many worse weeds than a coconut.

I bet hughs house had native trees growing there before he built it.

[tropicbreeze]

Qld is the weeds capital of Australia, most weeds start off there before moving into the rest of the country. Same with invasives like cane toads. Of course coconuts, apart from plantings in towns, parks, residential areas, would form a miniscule part of the feral biomass. But comparatively their physical profile is huge and targetting them becomes a philosophical statement, "We are against all weeds". There are, however, inconsistencies in all camps. But humans are prone to becoming fixated on causes, anything from pro-gun-lobbyists to anti-coconutists, and more.

[KrisKupsch]

Its Pestiguous idealism at its finest. Humans disperse plants. Its that simple.

[stevethegator]

Had to bump this thread due to a recent, similar experience here in Florida

A couple weeks ago I visited Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park. The park encompasses all of Lignumvitae key and the surrounding waters, and it only accessible by boat. The island is home to one of the largest, best preserved tracts of old growth tropical hardwood forest in the contiguous US.

However, one of the previous owners of the island had planted a small coconut plantation in the interior. The park ranger told us that approx. 100 very tall coconuts remained from the original planting and that he had just been given the green-light to remove them all (in fact he was happy we arrived that day as he was able to put down the chainsaw for a bit in order to show us around). He was also complaining about coconuts constantly washing up into the mangrove shoreline and having to remove them there as well

I guess I noticeably cringed at the thought of all those palms being mercilessly chainsawed, because the ranger then explained how the dead fronds kept littering the ground underneath, preventing the natural regeneration of the forest that covers the rest of the island. I told him I understood the argument for removal as to the former plantation palms in the forest interior but didn't see any reason to have to remove the coconuts that washed up on their own near the shoreline.

The ranger's only response was that coconuts are an "exotic" species that shouldn't be here. I then pointed to coconuts we were then standing under planted outside the visitor's center and asked if he was going to remove those as well. He said, "nah they're not causing a problem there, and they're ornamental"

Without realizing the ranger hit the nail on the head: coconuts are there in the first place because they just look better, so even the park service is going to leave them growing around their visitors center!

I've always loved coconuts and wished every piece of shoreline in Florida was covered with them like in the postcards. I never really saw how they could be considered "invasive" but in the case of Lignumvitae Key they may very well be inhibiting forest regeneration. Even still, the "problem" coconuts there aren't a product of natural dispersal but were deliberately planted in a cleared patch of forest, and I very much doubt coconuts could have ever naturalized on their own that far from the water

[Moose]

Some consider them weeds (not my perspective) while others elevate it towards a holy grail status.

[Brad Mondel]

How can anybody consider Cocos Nucifera a weed, when nobody knows for certain where it's native to?

It could be native there and they wouldn't even know it. Genetic analysis of the coconut palm suggests they're native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific (Which includes Australia). Lol!

[Tropicgardener]

It is interesting that this topic has been brought up again.............. Currently my local council (Whitsunday Regional Council) has brought in a 'Draft Coconut Management Plan' for the management of almost 1000 Coconut Palms that are on council land. As with most other councils the 'Management' of Coconuts involves removing them altogether........ The community backlash has been strong with just about everyone against the plan........... The Whitsunday Coast and 74 Islands are an International tourist mecca. It is in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef and the Coconuts add much to the tropical appeal. For a number of years The Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service have wasted massive resources removing Coconuts from the Islands and mainland beaches........... subsequent tropical cyclones have now caused major erosion on some of the beaches where Coconuts have been removed.

As for being native, much earlier in this thread I mentioned my time working in Aboriginal missions on Cape York where the Coconut has been part of their lives for generations prior to white man arriving in Australia. There are also strains of Coconut found here in Queensland that don't appear to occur in other parts of the world.

[Dave-Vero]

Coconut distribution and history remains interesting for the scientists and historians. At least more is understood than a decade or so ago.

In terms of exotics removal from beach areas, Casuarinas are beloved in parts of Florida. A hurricane in 2004 blew most of them over on Sanibel and Captiva Islands, and they've been replaced. Two other hurricanes the same year messed up lots of Casuarinas at Hobe Sound and Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuges on the Atlantic coast, and the Fish and Wildlife quickly mobilized crews and equipment to remove them.

By the way, Cape Florida State Park wiped out its casuarinas after the 1992 hurricane, replanting with natives. They left (or replanted) coconuts around the lighthouse because they were pretty and had been there for most of the lighthouse's history.

I have a reasonable chance of visiting Australia or New Zealand in the next year. Rules for airline miles encourage using them for really costly destinations like Perth or maybe New Caledonia. Looking at NSW south of Sydney.