Return to the Hawaii Gardening Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
Info on Coconuts
| | |
Posted by garyfla 10 Florida (My Page) on Sat, Mar 8, 08 at 20:35
Hi
Anyone know of sources of info on the origin of the Hawaiian strains. I've heard they were there when Cook landed?? Have also heard this of S. Florida but obviously of a different strain. I've heard the best guess origin as Africa?? What strains are mostly growing there now??
thanks gary |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Info on Coconuts
| | |
| It is my understanding the Polynesians brought coconuts with them when they first arrived in Hawaii, probably from the Marquesas. There is a dwarf Samoan variety that has become popular. It is much shorter than cocos nucifera (20-25 feet) and bears at a young age. |
RE: Info on Coconuts
| | |
Hi
That is my understanding of the origin also. Interestingly all Coconuts are from one species. All the many types are just cultivars of Cocos nucifera.
Given the many uses of the palms obviously humans brought them along wherever they went but only within the tropics. Cook seems to be describing them in his logs of all his trips through the Pacific. Unfortuneately the early
explorers of the western hemisphere weren't too interested in plants so almost no first hand info. Native Americans seem to have been cultivating them for centuries before Columbus. i find it interesting that the Coconut is one of the very few plants that CAN expand its range on it's own so could have alredy been there before human settlement .
Anyway enough of my ramblings lol Thanks for the indfo!! gary |
RE: Info on Coconuts
| | |
| Hi! Seeing the coconut headline I just had to stop by. We have been in the coconut business for 20 years, and I have calculated loosely that over 150.000 coconuts have passed thrugh our hands! Many products but right now coconut candy is the main focus. We moved from Hana Maui to the Kau district on the Big Island four years ago. I brought with us a sprouter of the biggest Samoan I have ever seen, and by our estimate we will get fruit in another year. It is quite happy here, even though when it arrived as a keiki is was salt encrusted from the barge. Coconuts, are my very best friends. |
|
|
|
|
