Planting Green Malayan Coconut Inland Southern California

[James B]

Inspired by others crazy enough to try it, went ahead and am trying one myself. It is a Green Malayan. It’s about 3-3.5” tall. Arrived in mail today. 
I am about 20 miles north of the infamous Corona Coconut and just as hot.

I have some questions: how long should I keep it in shade to acclimate since it’s been in a green house. My plan is to pulling in full blazing sun up on a bank in my back yard south facing where it will get full sun as early as 8-830am even in winter.

Should I keep it in the pot for a year before planting it next spring? Or will be able to plant this year. Ideally I want to plant it to let it get used to the heat and sun we experience here. 
 

I am well aware I have a low rate of survival but this spot on the bank heats up quick in the AM so it’s best chance is there.

Thoughts?

[-2 brian]

I feel like the sooner you get it in the ground so that it can put down roots and start to get acclimated to your climate before the real sun/heat comes and more importantly the the cooler months of the year the better. The ground outside will keep a more even and less cold temperature next winter then the roots being in a pot where the roots will be subject to more extreme temperature swings. Not only is your spot south facing but you will get some residual heat from the CMU wall directly behind it, at least while the palm is small. If your worried about acclimating it from the greenhouse you can always put up a temporary shade cloth over it until you feel its good to go. Good luck with it. 

[James B]

15 minutes ago, -2 brian said:

I feel like the sooner you get it in the ground so that it can put down roots and start to get acclimated to your climate before the real sun/heat comes and more importantly the the cooler months of the year the better. The ground outside will keep a more even and less cold temperature next winter then the roots being in a pot where the roots will be subject to more extreme temperature swings. Not only is your spot south facing but you will get some residual heat from the CMU wall directly behind it, at least while the palm is small. If your worried about acclimating it from the greenhouse you can always put up a temporary shade cloth over it until you feel its good to go. Good luck with it. 

Thanks Brian!

After successfully growing Carpoylon, Clinostigma, and Bentinckia I figured I might as well try the holy grail for Cali growers. 

[GottmitAlex]

If you are planning to grow it "al natural" like the Corona one, then plant it asap. 

If you plan to baby it for three years, then I suggest a canopy (light mesh)  to protect it from the scorching sun (the leaves will burn). Come winter get ready a tarp and a brood lamp (125 W will suffice) and train it between the base of the coco and the soil whenever it gets to 50F at nights. Once it goes beyond the 3 year threshold, you can set the brood lamp to activate when it gets to 45F. 

 

 

 

[James B]

Planted 2 days ago. Going to surround it with rumble stone and concrete pavers to maximize heat during winter. After seeing the La Quinta and Corona cocos it should enjoy my summer heat and sun.

[James B]

[BayAndroid]

It will be fun to watch and see!

[Palm Tree Jim]

Best of luck and keep us updated.

[GottmitAlex]

James, I highly recommend adding black lava sand from ACME as a 1"  top dressing.

It helps on cool/cold days when then sun is out to heat up the soil and reflect heat to the palm.

Black Lava Sand https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S8H00I4/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_14346XXB20HB4KGQZ7Z3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

 

[kinzyjr]

I like @GottmitAlex's suggestion.  My suggestion was going to be to paint the stone flat black so it would absorb the max amount of light.

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

On 3/25/2022 at 7:22 PM, James B said:

After successfully growing Carpoylon, Clinostigma, and Bentinckia I figured I might as well try the holy grail for Cali growers. 

This statement has to be backed up with pics haha =) Thanks in advance James 

T J 

[James B]

2 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

James, I highly recommend adding black lava sand from ACME as a 1"  top dressing.

It helps on cool/cold days when then sun is out to heat up the soil and reflect heat to the palm.

Black Lava Sand https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S8H00I4/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_14346XXB20HB4KGQZ7Z3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

 

Alex, that’s for the suggestion I will order some.

[James B]

1 hour ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

This statement has to be backed up with pics haha =) Thanks in advance James 

T J 

 

[James B]

The Clinostigma had made it through 2 winters and is a solid medium growth palm for me putting out 4 leaves a year. I have two them and they are winners.

The Carpoxlon and the Bentinckia were planted last year as 1 gallon palms and just made it through their first winter. Both lost some leaves due to the Santa Anna’s but both are growing new spears. 

[James B]

1 hour ago, kinzyjr said:

I like @GottmitAlex's suggestion.  My suggestion was going to be to paint the stone flat black so it would absorb the max amount of light.

Would that hold heat longer after the sun goes down? I have some red rumblestone next to the regular concrete pavers and while the red gets hotter in the sun, the grey colored pavers hold the heat longer after it’s no longer in sunlight. What are your thoughts?

[EnriqueVega]

Wow you have a Carpoxylon tribing that is so cool, what was the lowest temp your Carpoxylon has seen ?

Best luck with the Coco, I keep us posted.

[James B]

34 minutes ago, EnriqueVega said:

Wow you have a Carpoxylon tribing that is so cool, what was the lowest temp your Carpoxylon has seen ?

Best luck with the Coco, I keep us posted.

Thanks! 31 degrees. 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

Ty James very cool garden you got going. Carpoxylon is a dream palm for me, looking forward to your updates in the future. 

T J 

[deezpalms]

I’ve grown up in Hawaii and part Hawaiian. I’ve seen many different cocos there from huge ones to smaller forms and greens, yellow and red ones. I found that green and red petiole ones do best here as they come from higher elevation then the yellow ones which require more of tropical weather 

[kinzyjr]

19 hours ago, James B said:

Would that hold heat longer after the sun goes down? I have some red rumblestone next to the regular concrete pavers and while the red gets hotter in the sun, the grey colored pavers hold the heat longer after it’s no longer in sunlight. What are your thoughts?

As far as discharging heat goes, darker colors apparently do discharge their heat faster:

https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/give-and-take 

The mass of the object absorbing the heat is important as well.  Grey is a good color since it absorbs some of every color and shouldn't emit it as fast as black.  If you're concerned about duration, having a larger mass of stone will help.

[deezpalms]

23 hours ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

This statement has to be backed up with pics haha =) Thanks in advance James 

T J 

To me, the holy grail is dypsis manajarensis the mealy bug palm

[The Gerg]

Good for you for trying it. Good luck. I’m very impressed your Carpoxylon is still alive. You’re doing something right.

[EPaul]

In truth, I had to look up Carpoxylon - an absolutely beautiful species.  In Zone 10 & 11 in Florida Coconut Palms are fairly simple to grow.  I planted 3 of them in 10A at a family home and they grew to about 8 feet in 2 years.  I'm assuming your more temperate climate and dry conditions make growing these quite hard?  From experience here in FL, they definitely don't like anything below 40 and LOVE water.  In fact, I planted those 3 in sandy soil that would occasionally sit in brackish water.  

[James B]

Got to 93 today. Added 2 more concrete pavers which made it to a 136 degree surface temp. The palm itself was at 113 degrees on the trunk. Going to hold off on the lava sand until late October. Then I’ll add it and if need be cycle it seasonally as it is getting quite bit of heat right now. Planted from a green house in full blazing sun with no leaf burn which I must say impressed me. I was expecting some burn.

[GottmitAlex]

Nice! 

Re: leaf burn.

 

Wait 2weeks. 

[James B]

1 hour ago, GottmitAlex said:

Nice! 

Re: leaf burn.

 

Wait 2weeks. 

Lol! I hope not but it’s pushing a new spear at 0.5” a day right now which I’m sure is only going to speed up so hopefully if it does have leaf burn the new leaves should adapt.

[Maltese coconut project]

I have a query. I wish to ask something to individuals living in areas with cool but non freezing winters similar to the Southern Mediterranean and California. In your experiences and opinions what is the number one killer during winter for coconut palms in those non freezing temperatures? Cool wind or having the soil too wet? What is your best advice when it comes to long cool winter's and watering during such season? Thank you in advance for answers

[GottmitAlex]

I was just about to mention. Our daytime highs have been great. However our night time lows have been extremely cool (12-14c).

When this happens I water the palms once a week. 

Once the night time temps don't get below 15c, I water them every other day.

 

[James B]

My cocos saw 41 degrees as a low a week ago. No issues. No special protection. It’s going to see at least nights below 40 in winter and 5 or 6 below 35 so it’s best it gets to experience some cold now. As you called it Alex, some leaf burn from being in full sun. But the new spear is growing fine so each leaf open will acclimate. Moving into 14 days of forested highs between 75-86 degrees. 

[James B]

A little update: it’s opened 3 leaves and working on a 4th spear since planting in spring. The last two leaves to open have not had any sun burn. In full blazing all day sun. As far as heat and sun are concerned this palm doesn’t seem to have a limit. 

[kinzyjr]

40 minutes ago, James B said:

A little update: it’s opened 3 leaves and working on a 4th spear since planting in spring. The last two leaves to open have not had any sun burn. In full blazing all day sun. As far as heat and sun are concerned this palm doesn’t seem to have a limit.

Hopefully it keeps growing well!  Nice palm!

[3 Milesfrom Gulf of Mexico]

Navel Orange in background?

[James B]

Rio Red grapefruit.

[Jadd Correia]

Looks great James! I think it was the right move to get the palm in the ground right away, and hopefully it can get it's feet underneath it before the colder temps arrive. I am attempting the same coconut plantings in my back garden in Oakland, and I wish you the best of luck. You have the same mindset as me with this experiment (which is low expectations but who knows!).

In total I have 5 sprouted coconuts (most green and yellow Malaysian) of different heights. I was able to visit a good friend on the north show of Kauai recently, and we collected two orange rachis coconuts (with very large coconut husk unknown variety) from deep shade along the north shore in pure sand/pine needles. I packed these up in a box with some of the coconut husk ripped up, and soaked in a plastic bottle with the bare roots tucked in and protected. 

I agree with folks that you can add some dark bark/lava rock to act as a soil barrier and heat absorber. I have dug out many gallons of my native hillside clay, and replaced that with sand collected from gardens near the Pacific Ocean to improve drainage. My thoughts are to keep adding sand + black lava rock continuously around the coconuts to max out drainage (I also mix in handfuls of compost to add nutrients to the sandy mix).

I am able to get more coconuts of this size (and larger), and will be attempting to grow them out in pots for folks in and around the Bay Area in the near future. 

Take care and I'm looking forward to the updates.

Edited August 21, 2022 by Jadd Correia
I forgot one thing.

[James B]

Thanks Jadd, If I don’t sell the house by winter I’ll add black lava sand to help it heat up more quickly in the morning. Right now it’s in direct all day sun where it hits 125 degrees with the heat bouncing off the ground and pavers so the heat is intense. 
Best of luck with your zone pushing!