Palms For California

Pronunciation: COE-cose new-SIFF-er-uh

Common Name: Coconut Palm

Cocos nucifera has not been included in publications on palms for California, but since some palms manage to survive BARELY it is being included here. 99% of efforts to grow these outdoors routinely meet with failure, even in the very best climates of California. But every now and then a perfect microclimate is discovered and one manages to grow. The famous coconut of Newport Beach is the prime (and really ONLY good example). But it is most certainly the exception to the rule, having grown several feet of clear trunk. However it seems off and on to skirt disaster and sometimes looks like it will die soon. Some have had success inland near the Salton Sea as well, but that success sadly was fairly short lived (maybe 3-4 years?). These palms will tolerate temperatures down to freezing briefly, but rely on subsequent heat to survive. Periods of chronic cool is what is so lethal to this palm in California. Many have grown coconuts to maturity in Florida where temps have dropped below 32F nearly yearly, but their winters are otherwise far warmer than our miserably cool California winters, which has been the key to their trees' survival. Note that one trunking palm that survived many years in Newport Beach died 2015… survived about 20 years. But thankfully a 'replacement' palm was discovered soon after in the California desert with even more trunk and far more healthy looking.

Appearance and Biology Habit: solitary with a crown of 3-6 feather leaves (at least in California) Height: 10' estimate Trunk: single; 12" diameter; clean trunk; narrowly ringed; young trunks covered with burlap-like fibrous matting; older clean trunks grey Crownshaft: none Spread: 15' Leaf Description: pinnate; flat; 10'+; yellow-green with prominent pale yellow mid rib on each leaflet; rachis yellow-orange; many narrow, long leaflets per leaf Petiole/Leaf bases: 1' long; wide; light yellow-green; unarmed; un-split bases Reproduction: monoecious Inflorescence: 1' long; dust-broom-like; from within leaves (no flowers like to ever occur in California) Fruit: spherical; light green turning yellow-orange when ripe; 8"-10" thick (the familiar coconut)

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 32F Drought Tolerance: moderate to good Dry Heat Tolerance: good Cool Tolerance: very poor Wind Tolerance: excellent Salt Tolerance: excellent Growth Rate: slow (in California) Soil Preference: adaptable but seems to prefer sandy soils Light Requirement: full sun Human Hazards: outside of California severe danger from dropping coconuts- not a concern in California Disease or Horticultural Problems: potassium deficiency common problem Transplants?: unknown Indoor?: not a great indoor palm, but far easier to keep alive indoors than out- needs a LOT of light and heat Availability: common