You can recognize the "Golden Malayan Dwarf" cultivar by its yellow coconuts.
The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), a pan-tropical palm species, thrives in humid, frost-free climates across the globe. The coconut palm is a generous plant that has an elegant tropical silhouette to go along with its edible fruits. Because it's the world's most well known and beloved palm species, identifying the coconut palm is fairly straightforward. The palm grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11.
Trunk Talk and Frond Facts
The coconut palm may grow to mature heights between 50 and 80 feet, with a narrow, slightly curved or straight trunk. The base of the trunk is broader than the upper part, and surrounded by a mass of roots. The trunk is grayish brown and marked with rings known as leaf scars. The crown on top is composed of pinnately compound yellowish green leaves between 15 and 17 feet long that give the palm a spread of up to 25 feet. Fronds have a gentle arching shape.
Flowers and Fruits
Coconut palms produce inflorescences of small fragrant white male and female flowers. These structures resemble corkscrews. Round coconut fruits are bright green when they emerge and turn yellowish, growing to be up to a foot wide. The fibrous outer husk covers a hard brown shell that protects the white coconut meat, known as copra. The hollow fruits contain coconut milk. In the tropics, fruits and flowers may be present on the tree year-round.
Variety Show
The coconut palm is highly susceptible to a disease known as lethal yellowing. Because of this, many homeowners and cities choose to grow Malayan cultivars such as "Malayan Dwarf," which have better resistance to the disease. "Malayan Dwarf" grows from 30 to 60 feet tall, with a spread of 15 to 25 feet. Unlike the species, "Malayan Dwarf" has leaves that are more yellow than green. "Golden Malayan Dwarf" boasts golden yellow coconuts as well. Malayan cultivars are hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 10b to 11.
Culture and Care
The coconut palm requires full sunlight and well draining soil, ideally with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0. The palm is very tolerant of salty coastal conditions and wind. According to Pacific Island Agroforestry, the roots of the palm may grow up to 16 feet deep and 100 feet wide in optimal conditions, though they more commonly grow about 5 feet deep and 20 feet wide. The coconut palm requires regular irrigation, but it will suffer in standing water.
Author: Michelle Wishhart
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