Learn With Steem: The Amazing Things You Need To know about The Coconut Palm.

Preamble

Hi all. It's great to have you here, I guess you all are doing well.
Thank you for always visiting my blog and your wonderful contributions to the growth of Steemit.
In this post, I would be talking about the coconut palm tree, parts and uses, and it's importance. It's going to be a pretty long post so I crave your indulgence.

Coconut Palm: What Is It?

Coconut palm is the tree that bears the coconut fruit. Botanically called Cocos nucifera, and osisi aki bekee in Igbo Language, it originated from Southeast Asia and the islands between the Indian and the Pacific oceans.
This wonderful tree is said to be the tree of life because it provides some of the basic necessities for humans and it's useful in so many ways. Not only is it a source of food and water, it's also used for shelter, fuel and raw materials.
When planted, it can take up to seven years before producing fruit.
This palm tree can be found mostly in islands and the coast of most beaches. You can equally see it planted in some home's gardens, roadways as well as in farm plantation.
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Types of Coconut Palm Tree

Coconut tree has two variety types; the dwarf varieties and tall varieties.

The Dwarf Variety

This variety of coconut are usually small and short in nature with a height of between 16 feet - 30 feet. Things to note about this dwarf coconut varieties is that they have the tendency of bearing fruit at a very young age, sometimes after just 2 years of initial planting, have a shorter life span, with a life expectancy of between 40 and 50 years. These varieties include;

• Chowghat Orange Dwarf Coconut
• Malayan Dwarf Coconut
• Macapuno Coconut
• Fiji Dwarf
• King Coconut
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  Dwarf coconut palm variety
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Tall Coconut Variety.

As the name implies, this type of coconut tree is usually tall and has a longer life span of between 80 and 90 years. They start to produce fruits after about 6 and 8 years.
Things to note about this variety are
They adapt more to different environments and may react better to wind and change in temperature than the dwarf type, usually grows in moist soils, but may thrive in any type if soil so far it is well draining, and most of them will cope with short periods of drought
Names of tall variety;

• East Coast Tall Coconut
• West Coast Tall Coconut
• Maypan Coconut
• Panama Tall
• Jamaican Tall
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  Tall Coconut variety.
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  Having seen the variety types of coconut palm trees, let's then see its different parts.

Parts of Coconut Palm

The Husk

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The husk is the rough outer part of the coconut fruit which is made up of tough fibres called coir. Before the advent of using scouring powder and pad to wash the dishes, this coir was used mixed with sand to wash utensils like pits, kettles etc. Not only that, the fibre was used as stuffing to make homemade mattresses.
It is also used in making toys and fuelling fires too.

The Shell

This is the second covering in the coconut fruit before you get the coconut flesh, and it's hard in nature.
This hard shell is equally useful in that you can use it to fuel fire. It cn equally be used in place of charcoal. Due to its strong nature, artisans use it to create handicrafts.

The Flesh/ Kernel

Although other parts of the coconut palm are important, this is the most important part. This is the part that we all enjoy chewing 😋.
This kernel is so useful in so many ways;

• It can be grated or blended, after which it's pressed and used for cooking so many delicious meals like coconut rice, coconut soup etc
• Oil can be extracted from the kernel too which can be used for cooking, hair and body care products.

The Water

Ahaa!!, this is another very very important part of the coconut palm. The coconut water is a refreshing drink you can always take when you feel tired, worn out or weak. It is an energy giver. It has high content of B vitamins, proteins and ascorbic acid. Not only is it an energy giver, it's also used for the treatment of sunstroke, stomach ache, indigestion, and urinary problems. It's an antidote for poison and adverse drug reactions.

The Leaves / Frond

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Without leaves, a plant isn't alive. The palm leaves or fronds are useful in so many ways;
they are used to weave hats, baskets, mats and for thatching houses especially traditional / mud houses, beach houses and bars etc

The Heart

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The heart otherwise known as ‘palmis’, is found right underneath the leaves of the coconut tree.
In some countries, it's used to make delicious cuisines.

Spathe and inflorescence

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The spathe is the scope-like structure that covers the inflorescences (the flowers) of the tree. When polished and varnished it can be used to make containers.
The inflorescence (flowers) when dried can be used to make brooms.

The Trunk

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When a coconut palm is cut down, the trunks can be turned into planks, which can be used to make boards and partition for houses, also as pillars.

The Roots

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The root (Mgbọrọgwụ in Igbo Language) of a plant is the life wire of the plant. If the root isn't strong or healthy enough, the plant dies. This is the part of the coconut palm tree that holds medicinal properties, which can be used to treat gall bladder, urinary infections, kidney-related diseases, heartburn, eczema and other diseases.
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Importance of the coconut palm

• The coconut palm is an economic tree. Each part of it is useful and can be used to generate money. Like some countries have mineral resources as their mainstay, others have coconut palm as their own resources. Coconut palm planting is a good and lucrative investment.
• Coconut Palm serves as wind breakers thereby protecting houses from winds.
• They can also be used in landscaping, fencing and in beautifying the gardens around the houses, amusement parks and walkways.
  

The End

From this post, we can all see that no part of the coconut palm is a waste. And the benefits of the coconut palm are enormous and that it is a good business idea that anyone can venture into.
Don't forget to drink coconut water whenever you visit the Bahamas, Palmas beach resort, and in my country Nigeria, specifically Uyo, Ákwá-Ibom State.
Thank you. Gracias. Obrigado. Salamat. Danke.

Special mention @chichieze @steemalive @ijelady @samuel20 @tenguhatanga