Coconut Growing Farthest From Equator

[Palmfarmer]

  On 1/19/2025 at 10:51 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.

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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]

  On 5/2/2025 at 7:57 AM, 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).

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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]

  On 5/2/2025 at 9:08 PM, 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? 

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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]

  On 5/3/2025 at 4:24 PM, 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?

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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 12:07 PM, bubba said:

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

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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 12:07 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!

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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).