The Southernmost Cocos nucifera in Brazil

[Arnaud84]

Hello everyone,
This is my first post on PalmTalk and I’d like to share with you some findings from my research.

It’s often said that the southernmost coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) in Latin America are found in Brazil, just a bit further south than Florianópolis. And indeed, on the coast of the state of Santa Catarina, they are planted quite densely. South of there, plantings become more sporadic.

Although it was a bit of a painstaking task, I had fun virtually exploring the streets of the coastal towns in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state. I managed to spot about a dozen coconut palms along the coast near Porto Alegre. The coastline there is densely populated, and a few specimens exist in very good health.

 

Further south from Porto Alegre, the coast becomes a dune landscape, sparsely inhabited — a paradise of pines and tamarisks. And then, while analyzing the coastal area near the city of Pelotas, I came across a very interesting palm. At first glance, it looked like a Phoenix roebelenii grafted onto a Cocos nucifera trunk — but after a closer look, I’m quite convinced it's actually a coconut palm that has adapted to the cooler southern Gaucho coastal climate.

What do you think?
If it turns out to be a Cocos nucifera, it would be growing at latitude -32°S, which puts it very close to the southern record for Cocos nucifera, held by Port Elizabeth in South Africa.

Now, while the coconut palms growing around Porto Alegre don’t surprise me much — as the annual average temperature there is likely close to 20°C — the climate around Pelotas is quite different. The annual mean temperature must be closer to 18°C.

To conclude, I should mention that our Argentinian neighbors are asking themselves the same questions, as experiments with Cocos nucifera are being conducted in the provinces of Corrientes and Misiones. Moreover, the Federico Westphalen University, in northeastern Rio Grande do Sul, recently published a report on the cultivation of coconut palms in southern Brazil.

Is there potential to be explored here?
Thank you for your attention,
Best regards,
Arnaud

[idontknowhatnametuse]

That looks like a Phoenix sylvestris hybrid. Phoenix hybrids are very variable, so some of them can end up having a trunk like that.

[tim_brissy_13]

Definitely some kind of Phoenix sp or hybrid. 

[Arnaud84]

Thank you for your feedback. Too bad—I thought I had found the southernmost Cocos nucifera in South America at 32°S, but no such luck ! That said, this hybrid Phoenix form is quite interesting from an aesthetic point of view. Its growth is slow—Street View passed by in 2011, 2012, and 2022, and it’s barely gained any height over 10 years.

I’ll keep looking, but if by any chance there are Cocos nucifera on the beaches of Pelotas, the next city is practically in Uruguay. From Uruguay onwards, it’s the kingdom of Phoenix canariensis and Butia—you no longer really see Syagrus, Archontophoenix, or Dypsis (lutescens and decaryi), at least not along the coast.

In any case, with the winter temperatures Rio Grande do Sul is experiencing this year, I really hope the coconut palms on the northern coast will pull through!

Wishing you all a great day!

[Xenon]

I would bet 100% on coconuts growing fine in Misiones, Formosa, and Corrientes, there's nothing that leads me to believe otherwise. It's probably just a cultural/availability issue rather than a climatic one. I'm pretty sure you can find if you look hard enough and also across the river in Asunción. 

Syagrus and Archontophoenix are pretty common in the built up areas around the Rio de La Plata in Montevideo, Buenos Aires, etc. The occasional Chrysiladocarpus/Dypsis too

[Zeeth]

4 hours ago, Xenon said:

I would bet 100% on coconuts growing fine in Misiones, Formosa, and Corrientes, there's nothing that leads me to believe otherwise. It's probably just a cultural/availability issue rather than a climatic one. I'm pretty sure you can find if you look hard enough and also across the river in Asunción. 

Syagrus and Archontophoenix are pretty common in the built up areas around the Rio de La Plata in Montevideo, Buenos Aires, etc. The occasional Chrysiladocarpus/Dypsis too

Oh yeah, those cities basically have the same climate as the Tampa bay area. The absolute lows aren't too bad either. I could definitely imagine the right variety of coconut surviving there. The rainfall pattern is even very similar to here. 

[Arnaud84]

Yes, you're totally right. The report from the University of Frederico Westphalen, RS, supports the same conclusion. (who could have predicted ten years ago that Sicilia and Andalusia would specialise in mangoes, while — conversely — Rio Grande do Sul would turn to olive oil production and strawberries!).

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Argentine city bordering Paraguay where Cocos nucifera is well documented is Posadas (by the way, it appears on my map in the upper left corner). As you write, this region between Paraguay and Brazil could have potential, as warm and humid air masses coming from the north via the Paraná and Uruguay rivers create a kind of microclimate. My wife's family is actually from that area along the Uruguay River, on the Brazilian side, and I do confirm, it's indeed very stifling in the summer and rather mild in the winter. I know what I have to do...

If I may summarise the feedback I’ve read on Spanish-speaking forums: beyond the cultural factor you pointed out, the main threat to their development isn’t the climate itself, but fungal attacks.

Thank you very much for your insights regarding Montevideo and Buenos Aires, I didn't know.

Have a great day!