Coconut Growing Farthest From Equator

[Palmfarmer]

On 1/19/2025 at 4:51 AM, Pargomad said:

Probably not, although the minimum temperatures are high in winter, the maximum temperatures are not high enough for coconut trees to really thrive. I think you would really need an average maximum temperature above 20 degrees in winter for them to grow well. This is the case in Madeira, on the southern coast by the sea.

I think it’s completely doable in a good microclimate. Ideal, definitely not but The Climate in Marbella is similar to Santa Barbara and I know there has been some successful coconuts grown in Southern California. 

[Maltese coconut project]

At 35.8933 degrees North from the equator in Attard Malta, my Cocos nucifera is probably the farthest from the equator 24/7 outdoors Coconut palm surviving outdoors wet winter 

[bubba]

This Maltese Coconut is surviving but not necessarily thriving. That stated, it is arguably the furthest from the equator. However, in all honesty, Stelios's trunking coconut pictured in the Weather thread (Greek Islands/pg.18?) in Cyprus at 34.8 degrees north is thriving and Maurice (movielovecan) at 36 degrees north is soon to be a real player. For comparison, the La Quinta coconut, which is by all means thriving, resides at 32.6 degrees north. Lots of competition, which is inspiring to all!

[Axel Amsterdam]

I follow your experiment with great interest but it has only been planted for a day. Let’s see how it adapts to being planted this summer and how it handles it’s first wet winter in the ground. I know the potted plant has been outside for some winters, but a pot that sometimes is being moved and during winter placed closely against a wall on a roof could lead to quite different results than a planted palm in a bit more exposed location. The growing medium is different (wetter in winter), the sun exposure is different and the temps at soil level could be colder during clear winternights than on rooftops. 

I hope it will do well. Looking forward to seeing it thrive. 

[SeanK]

How far north is Tenerife?

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/88869-palm-id-tenerife/#comment-1208997

[bubba]

Way muy south! Cyprus the leader in the club house with South Greece at 36 N. rolling...

[Maltese coconut project]

It's been planted years before this one though so we have to give this one the coming summer a chance. I will post monthly updates 

[Maltese coconut project]

It's been in a pot but 24/7 outdoors in winter. Most say planting in the ground significantly increases survival chances. 

[Axel Amsterdam]

When it comes to nothernmost potted cocos outside yearround there is the one in Malaga, grown from a coconut (picture by Pindo in 2020).

[gurugu]

2 hours ago, Axel Amsterdam said:

When it comes to nothernmost potted cocos outside yearround there is the one in Malaga, grown from a coconut (picture by Pindo in 2020).

As far as I know, that coconut has always been in a pot, never in the ground. 

The owner said she used to take it indoors when it got "very cold".

She managed to sprout it from a dehusked  coco bought in a supermarket.

It's been growing on that balcony for a number of years now.

I keep on thinking that coconuts could be grown outdoors in downtown Málaga if planted big/tall enough on sidewalks.

[bubba]

The coconut in the pot in Malaga is legit! If it was in the ground, new leader in the clubhouse at 36°.7 north! Must be in the ground and a bit larger with prominent trunk like Stelios. If the Maltese coconut looked healthier, I believe it would qualify at 35 degrees north. Perhaps that changes as it grows. Always believed southern Spain to be a major possibility but have always heard stories of ultimate failure. Maurice in southern Greece still has major shot at 36 degrees north when his substantial thriving coconut is planted!

[Maltese coconut project]

This is more North than my location

[Maltese coconut project]

I know Maurice (Maurice Love if we're referring to the same person) . He came to my house a few years ago and he purchased one home germinated coconut from me. Hope he's doing well. 

[bubba]

Once again, in the Palm Talk Weather section under the thread titled "Can coconut thrive in Rhodes/Lindos Greece" on page 18, you will see pictures of Stelios's trunking Coconut in Cyprus at 34.8° north. Mlovecan(Maurice) possibly did buy his healthy sprouting coconut from you and it is currently in a pot at 36° north. 
 

The Malaga coconut is amazing at 36.8° north. If planted, it would constitute the leader in the clubhouse. However, numerous stories persist around the internet stating absolutely that no coconut will thrive anywhere in the south of Spain? At the end of the day, should the Maltese coconut become greener, it will become the farthest from the equator at 35° north. Your hard work places you in the best position to become the new champion, particularly if the coconut adjusts and becomes greener. I am certain it will.

[Maltese coconut project]

I don't think so it's not the same Coconut. Stelios planted his coconut before a went into trying 

[Axel Amsterdam]

14 hours ago, bubba said:

. 
 

The Malaga coconut is amazing at 36.8° north. If planted, it would constitute the leader in the clubhouse. However, numerous stories persist around the internet stating absolutely that no coconut will thrive anywhere in the south of Spain? 

Yes correct, although i do think this also has a lot to do with people trialling with small coconuts/malay types, simply because it’s the only available nut.

I can buy tall varieties here in Holland sometimes and one i kept outside kept growing in my autumn temperatures (without artificial heat) comparable to what southern Spain experiences during most winter days.  Cloudy 15C during the day had no negative impact. It still kept growing albeit only 1 or 2 mm per 24 hrs. I feel that a tall variety planted in a microclimate in Malaga could be succesful. But they are not readily avalailable. 

My new tall next to a Malay gold

[bubba]

Axel,

Do you have personal knowledge and evidence of coconuts growing in the Malaga/South Spain climate? I believe you are definitely on to what may be the block to so many fringe areas not being successful. The La Quinta coconut and even the famed Newport Beach coconut were and are Talls. Maybe a Tall in Portugal?

[Axel Amsterdam]

1 hour ago, bubba said:

Axel,

Do you have personal knowledge and evidence of coconuts growing in the Malaga/South Spain climate? I believe you are definitely on to what may be the block to so many fringe areas not being successful. The La Quinta coconut and even the famed Newport Beach coconut were and are Talls. Maybe a Tall in Portugal?

I am afraid I don’t know about any other attempts in Spain. I think you could be right about Portugal as an alternative though. Algarve seems well suited for a tall variety cocos experiment with enough summer heat, nice wintertemps and higher humidity overall. 

[southathens]

On 5/2/2025 at 3:07 PM, bubba said:

 Maurice in southern Greece still has major shot at 36 degrees north when his substantial thriving coconut is planted!

Also just to note that we will be contacting the Rhodes Municipality in order to sell them the idea of planting cocos in Rhodes now that we have proof that cocos can survive outdoors in Lindos!

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/68701-can-cocos-survive-in-lindosrhodes-in-greece/?page=19#findComment-1211092

Here is Maurice's 3 year old outdoors surviving coco in Lindos, Rhodes at 36 N.

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/68701-can-cocos-survive-in-lindosrhodes-in-greece/?page=18#findComment-1210909

Photo taken April 2025

Also for some context below the climate stats for Lindos which are exceptional by European standards.

It's by far the warmest area annually in geographical Europe with a mean annual T of 22.0C

Lindos mean annual T actually beats any coastal area in the East Med (be it Israel, Egypt etc). 

[mlovecan]

On 5/2/2025 at 3:07 PM, bubba said:

The coconut in the pot in Malaga is legit! If it was in the ground, new leader in the clubhouse at 36°.7 north! Must be in the ground and a bit larger with prominent trunk like Stelios. If the Maltese coconut looked healthier, I believe it would qualify at 35 degrees north. Perhaps that changes as it grows. Always believed southern Spain to be a major possibility but have always heard stories of ultimate failure. Maurice in southern Greece still has major shot at 36 degrees north when his substantial thriving coconut is planted!

Jonathan in Malta (@Jonathan, yes that was me who visited during Christmas 3 years ago) is in Attard Malta - 35.89N. I am at 36.09N. I am 0.2 degrees / 11.1 km / 5.9 miles North of Jonathan. I have compared our February temperatures quite closely and there is virtually no difference between our winters nor that of Stelios in Cyprus. Any of the cold spells Stelios gets tend to reach me 3 or 4 days later and then Jonathan a few days after me. One of the varieties Jonathan was growing was a dwarf form from India that is sold in Lidl supermarkets all around Europe. One of those was quite young and completely green. I saw that as the most promising and bought two from Jonathan that never survived the move to my place in the middle of the winter. The one Jonathan is now putting in the ground is, I believe, one of the taller varieties he was experimenting with (@Jonathon, please correct me if I am wrong).  

[bubba]

It looks like you and Jonathan are the two folks leading the charge for the Coconut furthest from the equator. Stelios is the current leader in Cyprus at 34.8° north. That is a well-established, trunking and viable coconut. I would love to see some more recent pictures from Stelios.

Jonathan in Malta may be the next leader, as his planted coconut continues to grow and hopefully begins to look more vigorous and happy. Fingers crossed for him. Evaluations should continue as his Coconut progresses and he could become the eventual leader. Maurice has catching up to do but his success would place him five (5) miles north of Jonathan's in Malta!

Axel's experimentation with the tall variety seems to auger ultimate success. It will be interesting to see if anyone follows up with an attempt in Portugal along the Algarve. I do not know how the climates of the Algarve in Portugal and southern Spain compare. That stated, while the potted coconut in Malaga looks sensational it is still in a pot. So many stories about failures in southern Spain. Until a planted coconut is produced with longevity and ultimate trunking, I do not believe Southern Spain constitutes a candidate at this time.

California is an obvious player. The La Quinta coconut is amazing and located at 33.6° north. I would love to see some viable candidates that give Stelios a run for his money! The coconut bearing fruit located by Cristobal so many years ago, 60 miles from the California/Arizona border, shows the remarkable possibility, particularly in the desert region.

In the southern hemisphere, the transplanted coconuts near Sydney appear to be technically the leader south of the equator. Sydney is located at approximately 32° south. Tales of the coconut growing in Port Elizabeth, SA have never been substantiated by pictorial evidence. It would be great to see the southern hemisphere become a player also.
 

 

[mlovecan]

The last two years we have spent our Christmas in Portugal. Via Real de Santo Antonio, at the extreme Eastern Algarve (Spain is across the river), has an exceptional microclimate with the warmest sea water of the Algarve. It is quite noticeable when you take a train in or out. It's rated at 10B like the rest of the Southern coast but probably is a solid 11A.    

[Mazat]

On 5/5/2025 at 9:18 AM, southathens said:

Also just to note that we will be contacting the Rhodes Municipality in order to sell them the idea of planting cocos in Rhodes now that we have proof that cocos can survive outdoors in Lindos!

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/68701-can-cocos-survive-in-lindosrhodes-in-greece/?page=19#findComment-1211092

Here is Maurice's 3 year old outdoors surviving coco in Lindos, Rhodes at 36 N.

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/68701-can-cocos-survive-in-lindosrhodes-in-greece/?page=18#findComment-1210909

Photo taken April 2025

Also for some context below the climate stats for Lindos which are exceptional by European standards.

It's by far the warmest area annually in geographical Europe with a mean annual T of 22.0C

Lindos mean annual T actually beats any coastal area in the East Med (be it Israel, Egypt etc). 

wow, the mean annual T, what a high level 🤗👍

[Mazat]

On 5/2/2025 at 12:57 PM, gurugu said:

As far as I know, that coconut has always been in a pot, never in the ground. 

The owner said she used to take it indoors when it got "very cold".

She managed to sprout it from a dehusked  coco bought in a supermarket.

It's been growing on that balcony for a number of years now.

I keep on thinking that coconuts could be grown outdoors in downtown Málaga if planted big/tall enough on sidewalks.

okay, she doesn't want to take any risks, which is legitimate and understandable. the plant looks very good.

[gurugu]

2 hours ago, Mazat said:

okay, she doesn't want to take any risks, which is legitimate and understandable. the plant looks very good.

Quite right. At least, that's what she said in her last thread in the Spanish forum.

Besides, her garden is located at 200/300 metres asl ( if I'm not wrong), and in a rural area, so no heat island effect.

Downtown Málaga, is at sea level and the heat island effect there is obvious, making it an 11A USDA zone.

There are a lot of creeks and small caves along the Andalucian coast, where high mountain slopes die right on the coast, leaving a narrow fringe of soil/ land, where coconuts should be tried, provided they were watered. 

When southern winds from the Sahara blow, they must cross the Mediterranean sea, carrying enough moisture for palms to enjoy. Nothing to do with the Foehn effect, which is very (too) dry.

[Mazat]

15 minutes ago, gurugu said:

Quite right. At least, that's what she said in her last thread in the Spanish forum.

Besides, her garden is located at 200/300 metres asl ( if I'm not wrong), and in a rural area, so no heat island effect.

Downtown Málaga, is at sea level and the heat island effect there is obvious, making it an 11A USDA zone.

There are a lot of creeks and small caves along the Andalucian coast, where high mountain slopes die right on the coast, leaving a narrow fringe of soil/ land, where coconuts should be tried, provided they were watered. 

When southern winds from the Sahara blow, they must cross the Mediterranean sea, carrying enough moisture for palms to enjoy. Nothing to do with the Foehn effect, which is very (too) dry.

Very good explanation of the climatic environmental and topological conditions. That could work. I can really visualize it. In any case, it's worth a try, in my opinion.

[mlovecan]

6 hours ago, bubba said:

Axel's experimentation with the tall variety seems to auger ultimate success.
 

 

From my conversations with the man who germinated my coconut (along with coconuts he sells as annuals all over Northern Europe), mine is a Malayan Green Tall. He told me they were "Filipno Greens" imported from Costa Rica. From what' info's available on Filipino coconut varieties, the dominent variety of Green coconuts are in fact Malayan. 

[Axel Amsterdam]

9 hours ago, mlovecan said:

From my conversations with the man who germinated my coconut (along with coconuts he sells as annuals all over Northern Europe), mine is a Malayan Green Tall. He told me they were "Filipno Greens" imported from Costa Rica. From what' info's available on Filipino coconut varieties, the dominent variety of Green coconuts are in fact Malayan. 

Exactly, the large Dutch wholesalers sell the malay dwarfs all over Europe in huge quantities. I don’t think people in Europe are able to buy a tall variety anywhere, so it probably never has been tried by a palm enthusiast. 

[mlovecan]

21 minutes ago, Axel Amsterdam said:

Exactly, the large Dutch wholesalers sell the malay dwarfs all over Europe in huge quantities. I don’t think people in Europe are able to buy a tall variety anywhere, so it probably never has been tried by a palm enthusiast. 

I was thinking it was just the opposite. As I was told by the main Dutch coconut supplier that his come from Costa Rica and several sources state the dominant varieties in CR are talls, I assumed he was using talls. In this link, it's stated only 5% of coconuts in Costa Rica are dwarfs and, also, the dwarfs are round nuts. The sprouts I've purchased have always been triagular like those in your photos:  https://costaricainsights.wordpress.com/tag/coconuts/ 

[mlovecan]

Also, the Dutch producer added a yellow variety on his website last year. The yellow one is described as Cocos nucifera "Dwarf Golden Malay". His green variety is simply called Cocos nucifera:  https://www.floraxchange.nl/Artikel/Info/24345/Cocos-nucifera . I will have to send him an email to clarify this.

[Axel Amsterdam]

10 minutes ago, mlovecan said:

Also, the Dutch producer added a yellow variety on his website last year. The yellow one is described as Cocos nucifera "Dwarf Golden Malay". His green variety is simply called Cocos nucifera:  https://www.floraxchange.nl/Artikel/Info/24345/Cocos-nucifera . I will have to send him an email to clarify this.

You can see the yellow variety in my picture above on the right. These are all dwarfs. Costa rica may have a large number of talls but for the purpose of exporting them, especially to the large Dutch wholesalers they are all the same dwarf malays. Look at the tall on the left of my picture, these cannot be found in any regular garden center or Ikea. 

[Axel Amsterdam]

For easier comparison, the golden malay as sold by the Dutch wholesaler is the small one. That one has the same size like all the Dutch distributed coconuts. The other 2 are talls and that size is never sold by the large chains. It wouldnt even fit in their standard sized pots.

[mlovecan]

Ok Axel. On Stelios' coconut thread, I found a post where I had called Mr. Verkade last year and he confirmed, in fact, his plants are Malayan Green Dwarfs. I guess I need to find a tall.

[lzorrito]

On 5/8/2025 at 3:29 PM, mlovecan said:

The last two years we have spent our Christmas in Portugal. Via Real de Santo Antonio, at the extreme Eastern Algarve (Spain is across the river), has an exceptional microclimate with the warmest sea water of the Algarve. It is quite noticeable when you take a train in or out. It's rated at 10B like the rest of the Southern coast but probably is a solid 11A.    

You are absolutely right about the climate assessment, but winter here, despite having moderate temperatures, sometimes with a maximum of 20ºC, but minimums of 3ºC to 4ºC for a long period in the early morning, is too long, humid and windy. I have lost count of how many times I have tried (out of stubbornness) to grow C. nucifera, but as soon as February/March arrives, it is over. The meristem simply cannot handle it. I have tried several mixes of substrates and different locations, as well as watering discipline. Anyway... I have some palms like H. lagenicaulis or indica and Elaeis guineensis that have adapted very well, but nucifera is almost... almost utopian around here.

[mlovecan]

On 5/9/2025 at 9:54 AM, Axel Amsterdam said:

For easier comparison, the golden malay as sold by the Dutch wholesaler is the small one. That one has the same size like all the Dutch distributed coconuts. The other 2 are talls and that size is never sold by the large chains. It wouldnt even fit in their standard sized pots.

Ok. I've just decided to get serious about this. Two Panama Tall seedlings will be on their way from Florida shortly via USPS express delivery. I was more than a bit surprised that coconuts are on the list of just five fruits that do not require phyto certificiates to enter the EU. The regulations state "no phytosanitary certificate is needed for fruits of pineapple, coconut, durian, banana or date, for which there are no restrictions". Estimated delivery is 15-20 of May (which in reality means it will arrive in Athens around the 20th and they will make their way to my village by the 27th).

[mlovecan]

However, my dwarf has really taken off since I fertilized it last Sunday and watered it through the week - plus we had >25C on most of those days. This emerging leaf was not visible a week ago.

[Axel Amsterdam]

5 hours ago, mlovecan said:

Ok. I've just decided to get serious about this. Two Panama Tall seedlings will be on their way from Florida shortly via USPS express delivery. I was more than a bit surprised that coconuts are on the list of just five fruits that do not require phyto certificiates to enter the EU. The regulations state "no phytosanitary certificate is needed for fruits of pineapple, coconut, durian, banana or date, for which there are no restrictions". Estimated delivery is 15-20 of May (which in reality means it will arrive in Athens around the 20th and they will make their way to my village by the 27th).

You are probably the first to experiment with a tall in Southern Europe. I will follow this with great interest and hope you will succeed. 

[mlovecan]

31 minutes ago, Axel Amsterdam said:

You are probably the first to experiment with a tall in Southern Europe. I will follow this with great interest and hope you will succeed. 

I work remotely for a bank in Utrecht. Many of my team members are Indian (typical IT shop). They have a "work from anywhere" policy and a few of my colleagues work for a few months in India every year. Now that I know about the ease of importing coconuts into the Union,  I will talk with my scrum master tomorrow to see if he can bring me back a seedling or two from North India when he returns to the Netherlands in August.  They cost about 5-8 euros apiece. I might as well go whole hog.

Tbh, the neighboring village of Pefkos (3 km away) has noticeably warmer winters than my village probably even warmer than Lindos. I have a close friend that has a massive outdoor club that I've contributed lots of palms to over the years. I plan on putting at least one coconut over there. It has 4 meter stone walls and lots of cement inside. I can't think of a better place around here.    

[Maltese coconut project]

Which area? 

[mlovecan]

11 hours ago, Maltese coconut project said:

Which area? 

Hi Johnathan, There are hundreds of vendors on one site I cam across. I'm still trying to figure out the best variety but it's not easy. Reminds me of Habenaro chillis holding the Guiness record for hottest chilli for decades when India has many chilli varieties that are much hotter. I have found a few vendors claiming varieties with exceptional cool tolerance but the one variety that I'm leaning towards picking up is the Hainan Tall from China. I have found just one Indian vendor selling them. I had once read those are the most cool-tolerant in the world.