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Coconut The Giving Tree
by Franklin H. Maletsky
Coconut tree
The common names for the coconut are coconut palm, coco palm, and of course the coconut tree. The scientific name is cocos nucifera. The scientific name cocos nucifera was derived from the Portuguese language. Cocos is Portuguese for monkey, in reference to the face that appears on the stripped nut. Nucifera means nut bearing. The coconut tree is an ever giving tree. Almost every part of the coconut tree is useful. The Coconut Palm or coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is the only species in the cocos family that grows to 30 meters or almost 100 feet tall. The term coconut refers to the fruit of the coconut palm or coconut tree.
Coconut trunk
The coconut trunk can be used for lumber. In most of the countries where coconut trees are grown, the coconut tree is protected by the government due to rampant harvesting even of young coconut trees for coco lumber. The coconut tree can live to over 60 years. The coconut trunk narrows as it towers to the sky and close to 100 feet tall. The older the coconut tree, the better it is for lumber. The old coconut trunk can be so tough that a 4" nail would bend as it is hammered in. The softest part of the coconut trunk is the middle since it is the newest growth or part of the tree. The coconut trunk gets harder and tougher as it moves away from the center. The hardest part of the coconut trunk is the part immediately under the coconut tree skin because it is the oldest part of the coconut tree.
Coconut sap
The coconut sap is used to produce coconut wine, coconut vinegar and coconut gel. The sap of the coconut is gathered from the unopened coconut bud. The coconut bud is cylindrical in shape that tapers at the top and bottom (like a torpedo). The tip of the bud is cut with a sharp blade before it opens to flower. The coconut bud is then secured with strings around it from the top to bottom so that it may not open and flower. A container is then positioned to receive the dripping coconut sap from the cut bud. The sap is collected daily and the bud is cut again or "bled". The cut is usually about an eighth of an inch per day. A mature coconut tree can yield up to a gallon of sap daily. Some people like to drink the coconut sap fresh from the coconut tree. Others prefer to drink it after it ferments for a few hours thereby raising the alcoholic content of the sap. When this coconut sap is distilled it can produce about 96 proof coconut wine.
Coconut leaves
The coconut leaf is used for several things. firewood, broom, thatch roof, baskets, and other containers.
Coconut fruit
From the coconut fruit derives the:
- coconut meat
- coconut husk (coir)
- coconut shell
- coconut water or juice.
Coconut Meat
The most common product of the coconut meat is coconut oil. There are three ways of making coconut oil; one is RBD (Refined, Bleached & Deodorized), home cooking, cold pressed. The RBD oil is produced (by large factories) from copra (dried coconut meat). Making copra is accomplished by drying the meat either by sun or by fire. Home cooking is accomplished by grating the coconut meat, squeezing the juice out of it, then cooking the juice in a pan over an open fire. Cold pressed is where VCO (virgin coconut oil) comes from. This method can be home made or commercialized by big factories.
Coconut shell
Used for ornamental products and charcoal. Used as a piggybank
Coconut flowers
The coconut flower starts off as a pod or bud shaped like a torpedo. When the coconut bud opens there are several pistils. The pistils are connected to the stem of the flower and they are staggered. The stem where the pistils come out can be 10 to 12 inches long. Each pistil that extends out from the stem is about 10 to 16 inches long. The coconut flower looks like an oak tree without leaves.
There are several "seeds" in each of these pistils. Not all the "seeds" mature. Each of these seeds that mature turn into the coconut fruit. There can be 5 to 12 coconuts attached to the coconut flower.
After the harvest, these coconut flowers are sometimes used as a broom or rake.
Coconut Husks
The husk is the outer layer of the coconut. The coconut husk surrounds the coconut shell. The skin of the coconut husk is very smooth.
Coconut Coir
The fiber between the outer shell and the skin of the husk is called the coir. Coir is twisted and prepared to be made into rope. The coconut coir is used for flower pots, filters, seat cushions, and other creative things.
Coconut root
The coconut root is about 1/3 of an inch thick. Used as medicinal concoction for stomach aches
Coconut "Blanket"
As the coconut grows, the very tip or the shoot of the coconut is surrounded by this "blanket". It looks like a woven thread, it is interlaced. As the leaves form and grow out, this blanket surrounds the trunk of the coconut tree. As the leaves grow old and fall out of the tree so does the "blanket". The common folks use this "ginete" as a natural filter. In fact the "tuba" or coconut sap gatherers use this "blanket" as a filter to filter the "tuba" before they pour it into the final container.