Coconut palm is a large palm, growing to 30 m tall, with pinnate leaves 4-6 m long. The coconut palm is grown throughout the tropical world, for decoration as well as for its many culinary and non-culinary uses; virtually every part of the coconut palm has some human use.

The coconut palm thrives on sandy soils and is highly tolerant of salinity. It prefers areas with abundant sunlight and regular rainfall. Coconut also need high humidity for optimum growth, which is why they are rarely seen in areas with low humidity, like the Mediterranean. They may grow but not fruit properly in areas where there is not sufficient warmth, like Bermuda.

Botanically, a coconut is a simple dry nut. Although coconut meat contains less fat than other dry nuts such as peanuts and almonds, it is noted for its high amount of saturated fat. Coconut meat also contains less sugar and more protein than popular fruits such as bananas, apples, and oranges, and is relatively high in minerals such as iron, phosphorus and zinc.

Coconut water from the unripe coconut is drunk as a refreshing drink. Do not confuse with coconut milk, which is made by grating coconut meat (=endosperm) and mixing it with warm water.

When the coconut is still green, the endosperm (=coconut meat) inside is thin and tender, often eaten as a snack. But the main reason to pick the nut at this stage is to drink its water; a big nut contains up to 1 liter. When the nut has ripened and the outer husk has turned brown, a few months later, it will fall from the palm. At this time the endosperm has thickened and hardened, while the coconut water has became somewhat bitter.

Nearly all parts of the coconut palm are useful, and the palms have a comparatively high yield, up to 75 fruits per year.

What is amazing to me is that coconut water can be used as an intravenous fluid!

Coir (the fibre from the husk of the coconut) is used in ropes, mats, brushes, in horticulture for making potting compost. Coconut oil is used in medicine and in cosmetics. The leaves provide materials for baskets and roofing thatch.

It is theorised that if you were to become stranded on a desert island populated by palm trees, you could survive purely on the tree and coconut alone.