Time to fruit?

[ahosey01]

I have a sheltered spot on the south side of my house where I would like to plant a coconut.

I don’t care if it is a long term survivor in our big freezes - I have no interest in protecting it and frankly don’t even like coconut palms that much.  I would, however, very much like for my kids to get to care for and harvest edible coconuts.

Anyone know which varieties have the best fruit?   Are there varieties that fruit younger than others?  Any fertilization requirements to get them to actually fruit?

[Harry’s Palms]

I’m not sure they will survive in your area. Harry

[SeanK]

I would consider whichever cultivar gives a degree or two of cold hardiness. I imagine Cocos needs a dozen years to fruit.

[ahosey01]

41 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I’m not sure they will survive in your area. Harry

To my knowledge (this was before I lived here) there used to be quite a few in Brownsville until 2021.  This is about what I expect, but if the time to fruit isn’t 20 years then I would just like to get a crop before it gets smoked.

[PalmatierMeg]

Coconut fruit take 2 years from flowers to ripe fruit - and that’s a problem. The palm itself may survive for a few years but abort its fruit during the first winter. The result: live palm (maybe), nonviakble fruit. I have been told that coconut palms in HI survive but never produce fruit above 1,000 ft elevation - the winters are too cold that high.

My experience with growing the Dwarf Red Spicata coconut is that the vast majority of  its crop aborts at 1” to 3” diameter. Two years later a high percentage of seeds are nonviable. In 2015 if memory serves me right I sold a single digit number of germinated coconuts - won’t do that again; you want any (I have none) you pick them up). I planted my coconut twins from that crop. A year later I ended up with a spectacular solitary palm from one seed that is now twice the size of the twins. My fantastic mother palm was taken out by Hurricane Irma after those two crops.

Given that you don’t particularly like coconut palms, basically intend to plant it, then forget it until a Siberian Express takes it out, yet still count on bountiful crops of seeds in reward for lack of care, I suspect your plan is a waste of money and time. Many people think that because Cocos nucifera is common as dirt in the tropics their green thumbs can bend this species to their will. Few palms have the unbending needs and standards as a coconut.

[ahosey01]

32 minutes ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Coconut fruit take 2 years from flowers to ripe fruit - and that’s a problem. The palm itself may survive for a few years but abort its fruit during the first winter. The result: live palm (maybe), nonviakble fruit. I have been told that coconut palms in HI survive but never produce fruit above 1,000 ft elevation - the winters are too cold that high.

My experience with growing the Dwarf Red Spicata coconut is that the vast majority of  its crop aborts at 1” to 3” diameter. Two years later a high percentage of seeds are nonviable. In 2015 if memory serves me right I sold a single digit number of germinated coconuts - won’t do that again; you want any (I have none) you pick them up). I planted my coconut twins from that crop. A year later I ended up with a spectacular solitary palm from one seed that is now twice the size of the twins. My fantastic mother palm was taken out by Hurricane Irma after those two crops.

Given that you don’t particularly like coconut palms, basically intend to plant it, then forget it until a Siberian Express takes it out, yet still count on bountiful crops of seeds in reward for lack of care, I suspect your plan is a waste of money and time. Many people think that because Cocos nucifera is common as dirt in the tropics their green thumbs can bend this species to their will. Few palms have the unbending needs and standards as a coconut.

I’m happy to care for it in terms of water and nutrition and sunlight etc… just don’t want to cold protect anything.

If they abort for you in Cape Coral then it’s probably a safe bet they’d abort for me here.

[PalmatierMeg]

2 minutes ago, ahosey01 said:

I’m happy to care for it in terms of water and nutrition and sunlight etc… just don’t want to cold protect anything.

If they abort for you in Cape Coral then it’s probably a safe bet they’d abort for me here.

Cocos nucifera are very inefficient reproducers and waste resources doing so. All of my coconuts - Pacific talks, Malayans and mutts - can litter the ground with 2” nonviable seeds, later with full size nonviable fruit. Maybe that makes sense in the true tropics or maybe in a climate with no cold fronts nothing aborts. A good topic for an advanced degree.

[Xenon]

I've seen quite a few coconuts in Brownsville/South Texas before produced viable fruit on neglect or near abandonment completely exposed out in the open. Why so much exaggerated pessimism, it's a palm forum people😆

I believe the Malayans flower at an earlier age. There's no real difference in cold hardiness from what I've seen. This one below was planted from a seedling, all grown in place 

[ahosey01]

20 minutes ago, Xenon said:

I've seen quite a few coconuts in Brownsville/South Texas before produced viable fruit on neglect or near abandonment completely exposed out in the open. Why so much exaggerated pessimism, it's a palm forum people😆

I believe the Malayans flower at an earlier age. There's no real difference in cold hardiness from what I've seen. This one below was planted from a seedling, all grown in place 

Where was that one?

[Xenon]

15 minutes ago, ahosey01 said:

Where was that one?

Flamingo Motel, Central Blvd 

[ahosey01]

36 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Flamingo Motel, Central Blvd 

I just checked google maps and it looks like that coconut was already like 15ft tall in 2007.  Coulda been 30 years in that spot.  Plenty of time to get fruit.  I think my microclimate will be even better than the one there.

[Fusca]

5 hours ago, ahosey01 said:

I’m happy to care for it in terms of water and nutrition and sunlight etc… just don’t want to cold protect anything.

Young coconuts aren't so difficult to protect.  The past two unusual cold snaps we've had I wrapped up the coconuts belonging to @Matt N- Dallaswith a cotton painter's tarp after clipping off the majority of the fronds.  They grow so fast they replace fronds pretty quickly.  If you start off with a medium size palm you might want to wrap it on the rare occasion when you get a freeze until it starts to trunk when it will have more cold resistance.  So far they look very good after hitting 27°F the past two winters.

[Zeeth]

If your main goal is time to fruit, go with a Malayan Dwarf. Fiji dwarves and tall types take about 7-8 years before you get consistent fruit. Maypan is closer to 5 years. You should get fruit in 3-4 years if you irrigate and fertilize. 

[Xenon]

50 minutes ago, ahosey01 said:

I just checked google maps and it looks like that coconut was already like 15ft tall in 2007.  Coulda been 30 years in that spot.  Plenty of time to get fruit.  I think my microclimate will be even better than the one there.

They grow fast when young and slow down as they trunk. It was planted around 2000ish

This one was a tall type. But there were several examples of Malayan dwarfs too 

[ahosey01]

28 minutes ago, Zeeth said:

If your main goal is time to fruit, go with a Malayan Dwarf. Fiji dwarves and tall types take about 7-8 years before you get consistent fruit. Maypan is closer to 5 years. You should get fruit in 3-4 years if you irrigate and fertilize. 

Where do you get a true-to-variety sprouted coconut or young palm?

[Zeeth]

I don't know about in Texas, but most coconuts sold at Big Box stores in Florida are Malayan dwarf. Specialty nurseries may be another source if there are any near you. 

[idontknowhatnametuse]

They will grow fine for you in a protected space, I don't really take care of mine (Orange Panama Tall) which is in a protected space too but it's still growing. I'll take a picture of it later.