Andy,

I think you have several years before your palm outgrows your house. It really needs to be in a zone 10 for the rate of growth you're talking about. You were chatting with someone in Chicago...their coco-palm was eleven years old and hadn't outgrown their house. That's actually a good thing...slow growth means more time for you to enjoy it.

Luckily, spider mites have not been a problem out here (there's also a coconut mite in Florida), but my coco-palm was infected with leaf spot disease. That was a tough battle. I caught it early, but it's stubborn.

I doubt you ever heard of it, but I used to work for Clover Technologies out by you. I moved back to Cali before Ford Field & Comerica Park were completed, but the pics I've seen were great.

SCalDude

SCDude-
I believe that person kept their coconut in an east facing window during the winter, only getting a couple of hours of morning sun. In addition he may have a dwarf variety. Mine faces South and gets hours of afternoon sun. Believe me I have done the math. It was 9.5 inches tall when I got it last April. It is now about 57 inches tall. Four feet in 10 months. My ceilings are only 8 feet. Also each successive frond gets bigger especially when outdoors in the summer. I'm not Bsing. On sunny days the spear will grow a 1/4 inch in a day. That rate will only increase as days get longer and warmer. Comerica and Ford Field are very nice stadiums. It's too bad the teams that play in them REALLY suck.

Andy,

Wow, that IS incredible growth. Good job.

SCalDude

Thank you, it has exceeded my wildest expectations. Last night it occured to me that I'm not including the height of the pot (15 inches) I'll have to figure out what to do at the end of this summer. If at all possible I'd like to get the summer of 07 as well. I'd love to have a 14 foot coconut palm in my yard. I'll just have to see how this summer goes.

Andy,

When I lived in Troy, I remember seeing very tall palms growing inside the Michigan shopping malls, I wonder what kind of an environment that would be for your coco-palm in the event that it outgrows your house?

SCalDude

There is a conservetory on Belle Isle that I am going to give some of my palms to. I'm going to see if they can keep it over winter and then I would move it back to my house in summer for as long as it is practicle. I would like to move it to Florida some day but I'm going to push it to the limit up here for as long as I can.

I have awhile before I need a conservetory. LOL

~ SCalDude

Looks great, I can't wait until I can take mine outside again. Even if for just a couple of days. It won't got out for the summer until May. Yours looks like mine. It may be a pacific tall from Hawaii. Good luck, hopefully I'll have a picture posted in the next couple of days. By the way what doe LOL mean. I see it all the time but i've never known what it means.

thanx, Andy

LOL is an IM (instant message) abbreviation for "laughing out loud". My favorite is ROTFLMAOÂ"rolling on the floor, laughing my ass off".

;-)

I'm easily amused.

Andy,

You said you want to post pics on this site. Open a free account at photobucket.com then upload your pics, then copy & paste the photo's TAG link from photobucket into the message area here, for the image to look like mine above...low-rez digital pics are best so set your camera before you take the pictures (unless you have photoshop to resize). Don't feel bad, I had to check the "properties" of Dave_in_NoVA's pic to figure-out how it was done. Good luck.

~ SCalDude

SCalDude-
I joined photbucket last night. I plan on taking some pictures Saturday. They seem to come out better in daylight. Hopefully I'll be able to post them then. I also have some other palms that are really doing well that I'll post. They really seem to be taking off with the longer days. Now I just need some record heat. I drove into work today on an ice rink. This is the worst part of winter for northerners because we know it's only a matter of weeks now before the bitter cold, snow, and other bs move out of here.

right now andy, you must be on the other side of the storm because up here in chicago its in the 30's and we had heavy rains for about 10 mins last night. last i checked though tomorrow and saturday are supposed to be closed to 50. so we will see.............spring is coming!!

Hey,

It's in the high 60's and sunny here...oops, sorry.

The big indoor palms at troy's somerset are fake. I gave up trying to grow trachycarpus outside. The winters are far too harsh. We bottom out at -10ish pretty much every year... and days that do not reach 20 for sometimes 3 weeks. Leaf damage occurs in single digit even into teens, in SE MI teens and single digit nights mostly what we see in january. Our record low is -22, it would take lots of protection for any outdoor hardy palm.

I also found this site by a Google search.. Would outside an Orlando home be too harsh for a coco palm? ...And, on average, how much do they grow a year? How long would it take to get fruit out of it?

Thanks

Can you grow a husked coconut, and if not where can you get a not husked coconut. I have a husked 1 started and there is no progress. Ive had it for 3 weeks. I live in south california and im not sure if i can keep it outside.

WHY NOT JUST GROW IT !!

Leggomyeggo-
You're dating yourself with that one (lol). I have heard once of a husked coconut germinating before but I've heard that that is about 1 in a thousand. Being in California you are in somewhat of a pickle. There is a company in Hawaii called "suncatchers of Hilo" that exports sprouted coconuts (usually have one or two fronds) but I believe California has a law preventing you from importing something like that. Ironic I'm in Michigan and I can import as many as I want but you can't import one. Suncatchers can be found on e-bay. You could check I may be wrong but I don't think so.

I just plucked a sprouting coconut off a Thai beach and it is sitting on my porch in Bangkok. It is very young -- still a small 3 inch sprout in a coconut shell -- no roots yet.

The young 'coconut-ling' does not seem to be too happy though.
Should I be cutting off the shell to expose the roots? Does it need direct sunlight? Any other tips.

Absolutely it needs direct sun. I'm not sure what kind of temps you have there but I suspect it's warm. Place it in a pot with some loose well draining soil. Bury the nut about half way. If you are getting constant 80s (sorry don't =know the celcius numbers off of the top of my head) water it plenty.

Indeed the climate is perfect -- high 80s, and it gets about one-half day of sun. The coconut it so young though that the roots have not come thru yet. Is it useful to remove the shell, or just leave it as is?
I reckon it is especially challenging growing a coconut tree straight from seed.

NO do not remove the shell!! It will eventually grow external roots...let nature take its course and good luck!

Spataro is right, leave the husk on. It won't take long for those roots to shoot down if you're getting constant 80s. What are the temps falling to at night?

Hi everyone...

Have you seen coconut bonsai tree..? this unique and attractive form real coconut bonsai tree.
see at : http://www.indonetwork.co.id/cocobonsai

bye...

Here is a link that might be useful: cocobonsai

Hi everyone...

Have you seen coconut bonsai tree..? this unique and attractive form real coconut bonsai tree.
see at : http://www.indonetwork.co.id/cocobonsai

bye...

Sweet pictures on that site.

Palmshaun,

I'm not sure if I'm detecting some sarcasm there...LOL

Here is a link that might be useful: Coco Bonsai Pics

I had bought a few husked, shrink wrapped coconuts from the local Ralphs three months ago. I had used and eaten all but one, which I placed in my pantry to use at a later time. Well later time came and two weeks ago, to my surprise, I found it had sprouted under the plastic wrap. I carefully cut away the wrap as not to disturb the root and bud, and placed it in the patio to"harden". I did not want to expose the pale shoot to any direct son. Well, today I took a look at it, it is a healthy green/bronze color, so I planted it in a large pot, 15 inches of palm/cactus soil mixed with sand, and buried it halfway, with the sprout barely covered. I guess the plastic wrap , constant temperature and darkness of the pantry acted like a natural husk for the nut. I am keeping the nut outside for now- I live in Long Beach, Calif., and am hoping it will grow....... while cold weather and frost are very rare here, we did have one bad frost last winter that killed most of the banana tree's here in my area. But heck, thanks to global warming , I should be able to grow plenty of coconuts, bananas and durian in my own back yard!!!!!

Well,i would have said no.But,a post on DavesGarden a few weeks ago of a great looking indoor cocos nucifera in SEATTLE proved it can be done.Just plenty of window light-and they were just windows not skylights or atriums etc.
Dan,i think the Newport coco is just a botanical fluke..if it was not then anybody else in Newport could grow them-and from what i have read other cocos in Newport gave out in a couple of seasons. Plant Parajubeas or Howea for about the same effect..maybe one cocos to test-hee.

just wanted to bump this thrad up to 100posts! yea baby!!

Palmshaun,

I'm not sure if I'm detecting some sarcasm there...LOL

Your sarcasm detector did not fail you! LOL

Yeah, I found the pictures, and they are actually pretty cool but figured I'd give the newcomer a bit of a hard time.

Guys don't feel bad about not being being able to grow a coconut inside.. I can't even grow one outside in a pot !!!

Yeah, Topher, we noticed!

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say i got 8 coconts and am try to grow them in central texas any body have tips on growin them if you do email me at
blu3_sid313@yahoo.com

Just bought a coconut tree sprout about 2 ft tall with several nice fronds. Live in zone 8 Charleston SC. I may have access to a friends greenhouse for our relatively short winters. My question is would this be preferable to over wintering in my home with south and west light exposure along with some supplemental light and a humidifier and fan. This seems a lot of expense and trouble but I would at least be able to see my tree every day. I would miss it in the greenhouse over the 3 or 4 month winter.

I have a 5ft Green Malayan coconut palm that looks like it is about to flower!!! It is sending up two shoots before a third has even fully grown!!! However, I dont know when the fronds will fan out, as mine still has whole fronds. If anyone could tell me when the fronds will fan out i would be very happy. I live in Maryland

Mark1954~ Yes, you will need a humidifier and fan, and maybe a 50 watt heat lamp placed about 3 feet from the leaves. Greenhouse or house, dosesnt matter as long as it stays warm, bright,and humid around your palm.
Sincerely, Tropichris

You can grow them insdie. I would recomend a DWARF tree to be grown inside. ANd if you keep it outwside in the summer months to get pollinated, it will grow coconuts. You do need to keep your house warm int he winter, and get 2 grow lights to help with the sunlight needed. And mist it almost every day with a water bottle (to simulate humidity.)

ONCE A WEEK SPRINKLE SEA SALT ON THE TOP OF THE SOIL Then when you water it it will slowly dislove into the soil! This is the best form of fertilizer for these trees! They thrive of salt water. BUt it needs to be sea salt, not table salt.

If you have any questions feel free to email me coco_joes_coconuts@yahoo.com or visit my website for other tips Awealthysoul.com

Thanks

Joseph

Here is a link that might be useful: Coco Joes Coconuts

I have one that is 2 years old that I grew from seed. It is small for its age but is doing fine. I live in Canada, so it is too cold for it and it does not get enough light, but it is coping. I put it outside in the summer.

I've had mine for couple of years. It's 4 feet tall and loves attention.

400 watts of CFL supplement sunlight, and I need to water 2x a week.
I mist 2x a day, and have a humidifier for drier days. Temps never go below 72F.

I noticed the sea salt comment above - this sounds about right, although I use desert sand rather than sea salt.

I live in South Carolina and have recently bought a coconut palm tree from Key West, Florida. I have bought a blue light for plant growth, fan, heater, and humidifier. Is there any tips to make it grow faster or bigger?

COCO JOES,

I was just wondering if you meant to say Epson Salt instead of sea salt? Epsom salt has the nutrients and minerals that some palms need to grow (Magnesium) to help it process fertilizers and to have healthy green fronds!!!

Hope this helps!!

Laura in VB

See on face book:
www.facebook.com/cocobonsai

I wonder how long until I'll need a larger container and a green house for this? LOL

I think it will out grow this about 45gal garbage container in 3-6 years, so for now she can over winter in the house.

see our collections of "Coco Bonsai"
the unique and stunning form of coconut tree in pot

www.cocobonsai.multiply.com
www.facebook.com/cocobonsai

Here is a link that might be useful:

my uncle brought a sprouted coconut palm to my country out of indonesia bali. Im pride, but the Winter in Netherland's are cold and it have badly damaged my coconut palm! I think it too cold here even indoors, to less sunshine, and only dark day's in the country, not possible to growing a coconut palm, those dark days are more keep a Christmas tree! I'm so disappoint about this, it's this, no one gives me advice, about right light spectrum i need to Grow lighs Coconut palm, I want also try grow Acai Palm. I actually talked to a person visit a greenhouse shop, he says, that i need T5 lamp or High presure soduin, Halide metal lamps HID. But a exper know better, you need Assimilation Lighting during October-November-december-January-February months, make day longer by 20 hours lighting plant and 8 hours dark, i think this that changes things, plant's Biological clock has changes for 28 hours a day. http://hi.baidu.com/jer0enr0land/album/Coconut%20Palm

I've had several coconuts over the years. I treat them like a short-lived novelty of a good trip to the tropics.

After several futile attempts at sprouting my own cocunuts that I collected in Hawaii or South Florida, I realized there was a better way to get a coconut from my travels. While digging through a pile of coconuts that had dropped from a canopy of mature palms, I noticed several that were growing small trees. I finally discovered one that would be perfect to take home with me--a small coconut that was not on the sand, rather it was perched on a pile of shells. It had a small (1") nub of its first sprout and a tiny root sprout on the bottom.

At home I put it in a pot with potting soil and there it thrived for years. I was lucky to have a VERY sunny south facing plate glass window/sliding doors that flooded my DC-area apartment with all-day sunlight in the winter. In the spring, summer and fall the palm went out on the balcony where I turned it regularly so the all the fronds would get direct sunlight over time. Spider mites were a problem. I would have to take a wet paper towel and wipe the fronds every week or so. Fortunately there were never more than 4 or 5, so it wasn't too labor intensive. They key to my success was the big, warm, sunny window and an easy move out to the balcony in the summer.

After a year or two, their new swords would open to reveal more and more splits so they'd look like a real palm, much like the photos "US MARINE" posted above. Eventually the palm would get too big or would just fail to thrive. I was lucky enough in my travels that I could pick up a new sprouted nut off of some tropical beach and start all over again. My last one didn't survive my move down to the Delaware Beaches. The house isn't as warm and sunny as my condo was and I moved during the winter months. I had to cut back some of the biggest fronds and it never took to the cooler, dimmer location.

When growing a coconut indoors. Just treat it like a treasured, temporary visitor.

I have 2 coconut trees. they were doing fine but their turning brown and i have a green thumb. What am I doing wrong?

It's true coconuts don't need a lot of humidity, but if you use a heater inside it's still likely that it could cause the plant to dry out. When cold air is heated, it suddenly has the capacity to hold more water vapor, and then it can have a very desiccating effect. This is how they freeze dry foods, by the way.

You don't say where you are, how or where you're growing them, what the current conditions are. Without that sort of information no one can tell you what's going wrong. We don't actually know what you are doing.

Ok so what is it that kills the Palm trees in the cold...I know that's sounds like a stupid question, but I'm serious... Is it the cold ground that kills the roots....is it the cold air that effects the trunk or frons... If I planted one close to the house and laid some kind of heating pad under ground and placed it on top would that help it survive the cold winters of Maryland.. also people talk about adding mulch but how much and how high... Do you cover it with clear plastic and will that basically burn it by the sun... Yes I know nothing about this but want to learn....