Return to the Palms & Cycads Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing fruit
| | |
Posted by
mcgyvr2009i 5b (
My Page) on
Fri, Sep 21, 12 at 10:03
| I bought a Malayan Coconut Palm at walmart. It's still in the pot I bought it in. According to the label, "If it stays in the pot, it will grow between 6' and 10' tall and stop growing." So, if that's true, will the palm still produce coconuts? I can't find a picture online that lookes like mine, so I'll take a picture of that too and upload it. But for now, generally how old does it have to be before it bares fruit? Thanks in advanced. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
| Sorry to bring the bad news but it won't up here in a pot. We just can't give it a long enough growing season. In the correct environment (the tropics) tall coconuts can produce fruit in 7-8 years and dwarfs 4-5. I suppose down there if in a big enought pot you could get a potted coconut to fruit but up here you only get a couple of months of really good growing conditions (and even those months we still have nights in the 60s and typically a dryer heat than in Florida). The optimum growing conditions would be humid with highs in the mid 80s and lows in the mid 70s. I've grown several potted coconuts I gavce one away and I had a couple die. I think i've worked the bugs out and have a potted tall from Hawaii. I had it shipped to me in May of 2009. it is quite healthy but you can bet if it had been planted in the tropics it would be twice the size it is. it really goes dormant in the winther. depending on the weather it is usually out by the end of May through early October. it cooled off so fast here that I brought it in a few days ago. You need to get it as much sun possible when indoors try to get it in a window that gives it direct sun. I've included a picture so you have some idea. As I said it's healthy but would be much bigger in the optimum envirnment. 1st picture is from 2010 and the 2nd from last June. It has pushed up a couple of fronds since July
 
|
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
| In the tropics, anywhere between 4-8yrs depending on variety and other factors like how warm the climate is. So outside of the tropics I would start to add years, and since its in a container that will also affect when and if it can fruit. I'm trying the same thing, so far idk for sure. My coco that made it 4 years wasn't even close enough to fruit (put it into a large garbage container since they dont sell containers as big as I wanted). And I took it outside for summer and it gets hot here. Personally, I do not think one will fruit in any store bought container. They are just too small. But if you have a large enough container maybe. The other thing is its too cool in the house for a coconut to fruit. They need lots and lots of heat. And then months of heat for the fruit to get ripe. Good luck :) - US_Marine |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
| I have yet to hear of a single coconut making fruit outside of the tropics, no matter how tall it got. Good luck, though. Even in Hawaii where coconuts grow well in nearly all environments, they will not form fruit unless down within a mile or so from the coast, or at a very low elevation... You can see coconuts growing at 1000 feet or more looking absolutely perfect in every way... except they are not making fruit. |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
| I think it would be possible with a large greenhouse, grow lights and a good heating/ventilation system. Which is possible if your some kinda palm obsessed millionaire. lol |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
| US_Marine -- they do sell containers as big as you want. Check my post below, I have several links to boxes and big pots. There is one place that has huge 125 gallon pots. |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
US marine
Youd be surprised how big a pots you can find. Check this out. I have two lie this. That is my ten and a half year old daughter and she is tall for her age. 
|
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
| They will give you drinkable coconuts only after 10 years at least. |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
| Mcgyvr, where do you live? I wonder if our local Wallyworlds will have cocos too??? I found coconuts at Lowes several years ago, but haven't seen them again anywhere up here. I think I killed mine by overwatering it indoors during winter. From what I understand, you have to treat them like cactus indoors. |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
| True. But in most stores you can only find them up to a certain size or they become clay, wood etc. Once they get that big they can become a pain in many ways. They can be too large for indoors and your palm will out grow the house in a much shorter time,and all the added weight will make it hard to move in and out and thats if its not too heavy by then. And I've been thinking that once it got too big to move wouldnt it be easier to plant, and by then you might have to? Getting to survive the winter would then become one of the last but most important problem to solve. But its possible. and yup, you can't water them in winter. Except maybe once in the middle and only a little. I've always used warm water if i water in winter. - US_Marine |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
| IslandBreeze, I live in Schenectady, NY Zone 5b. I got mine at Walmart. You might be able to find one at your local Walmart. Feel free to let me know of any luck. |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
Coconut palms definitely will not fruit in pots. They do fruit outside of the tropics when growing happily though. Some have luck getting them to fruit in large greenhouses (not private ones as far as I know) and they do fruit in Central Florida and even in Bermuda. I've even seen the coconuts planted as summer annuals along the beaches of NJ fruiting well (the fruit never ripens though). They can grow beautifully in pots though. I saw 12 foot tall coconut palms for sale at a local nursury and even though they didnt fruit, they brought the tropical look better than any other palm can!
-Alex |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
Hi
Another bit of bad news lol. Even if they do fruit it's not necessarily good. Last year we had a record warm winter
and they are fruiting more than I've ever seen yet many are not mature some even have a strong odor.
Not sure what the problem is but suspect it's climate related don't see any obvious damage and they are of good size.. i stuck a couple in the ground to see if they will germinate . Good luck gary |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
- Posted by catkim San Diego 10/24 (My Page) on
Tue, Sep 25, 12 at 0:04
| A well-known palm grower in Vista, California managed to get a coconut to produce "fruit", although quite stunted, while growing it in the ground inside a covered pool house. I don't know if he used heating cables in the soil. It looked pretty good, for growing in California, but it was hitting the roof. And no way did it look like a wild, island-grown specimen. |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
| Very interesting. I've heard about that palm many times but I've never seen any pics or anything about it. Thats pretty cool though. Gives me an idea. lol - US_Marine |
RE: How tall will my coconut palm be before it starts producing f
| | |
- Posted by catkim San Diego 10/24 (My Page) on
Thu, Sep 27, 12 at 8:40
| I have some photos somewhere, I'll try to dig them up. The fruit was very small, maybe the size of an apricot. lol |
Post a Follow-Up
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in.
If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Palms & Cycads Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.
