Coconut palm is considered as a native of Malesia, a bio-geographical region that includes Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Australia, New Guinea, and several Pacific Island groups.
Coconut trees have a smooth, columnar, light grey-brown trunk, with a mean diameter of 30-40 cm at breast height, and topped with a terminal crown of leaves. Tall selections may attain a height of 24-30 m; dwarf selections also exist. Trunk slender and slightly swollen at the base, usually erect but may be leaning or curved.
Coconut is essentially a tropical plant but has been found to grow under varying agro climatic conditions. The mean annual temperature for optimum growth and maximum yield is stated to be 270C with a diurnal variation of 60C to 70C and relative humidity more than 60 %.
The coconut palm thrives well under an evenly distributed annual rainfall ranging from 1000 mm to 3000 mm. However, a well distributed rainfall of about 2000 mm is the ideal rainfall for proper growth and higher yield.
Tropical plant: Coconut tree
