(Cocos nucifera)
Coconut palms
The coconut palm grows all along the coasts of Mexico, particularly on the western shores . Coconut groves line many of the coastal roads and highways and often have other crops, such as bananas and mango trees, interspersed between the trees .
What is wonderful about the coconut palm, apart from its stately appearance that invokes visions of restful tropical beaches, is that almost every portion of the coconut palm can be used. The coconut palm provides coconut meat, oil, fiber, fronds and hueso (the stripped spine of the dried coconut frond.
Coconut oil is used widely in soaps and cosmetics, and virgin coconut oil has been found to possess many healthful properties. Desiccated coconut meat is an important and popular cooking ingredient world-wide. The milk and cream, extracted from the coconut meat, are used widely in curries and other culinary delights. An alcoholic palm wine, called tuba in Mexico, is made from the fermented and distilled sap. Coconut fiber from the husks is used in the fabrication of ropes, mats, nets and brushes, and recently is being applied widely in gardening and hydroponics. It is highly water-resistant. The meat, oil and fiber contain strong anti-fungal properties. The hard, dried coconut shells are used in the production of arts and crafts. The trunks can be used in construction and the fronds are used for thatching roofs and for weaving baskets and hats.
Coconut palms are found in all the tropics between latitudes 20° north and south of the Equator. They often grow on or near sandy beaches where they flourish in the humid atmosphere in free-draining sandy soil.
It is believed that the coconut originated in the western Pacific, spreading from there by sea and carried by early peoples. It had already reached the Americas before Columbus’s arrival there in 1492.
Drying coconuts
The coconut palm is generally very tall, with an unbranched trunk topped by fronds. A large bud, surrounded by the leaves, is found at he top of the stem. The bud is edible and is called the ‘millionaire’s cabbage’ as it is considered a delicacy. What we know of as “Palmitos” or “Hearts of Palm” are often taken from the coconut palm although other varieties also provide edible palm buds, most notably the Palmito Juçara (Euterpe edulis), Açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea), sabal (Sabal spp.) and pejibaye (Bactris gasipaes) palms. Removal of this bud will kill the tree as it is the only point from which it grows.
The coconut fruit consists of a smooth outer skin ranging in color from green to yellowish-brown that covers a thick fibrous layer. Within these layers lies the hard dark-brown shell holding the seed or nut. The center of the seed holds the coconut water or milk and is a refreshing and highly nutritional drink.
Originally posted 2009-10-01 12:27:21.
