Types Of Coconut Tress

There are two types of coconut trees. A three year coconut trees and six year coconut trees. The six year coconut tree, which produces fruit in about six years, is slower growing and is less common. You can easily distinguish between the two, as the three year coconut tree does not have a bulb at the base of the trunk, which is characteristic of the six year coconut tree. The three year coconut tree leaves are more uniform in shape, being as slender at the base of the leaf, up to about four to five inches from the tapering tip. The six year coconut tree however has a more larger leaf at the bottom, and tapers slightly through the leaf up until the tip. There are definate differences of varieties in the six year, and three year trees. Also, there are two different colors of coconuts. There is the green variety and then there is the red/orange type. Now on Guam there are about seven different types of coconut trees.

There are actually in fact over 110 different species of palm trees and cycads (Sago type palms) on the property.  Here are a few of the more notable species that are visible to guests of the Christmas Light Walk Thru Trail. This Palm above is a Mayotte Island Bismark.  This is a very new introduction to Florida.  Mayotte Island has a much wetter climiate then Madagascar.  Virtually all of the Bismarckia available from the Nursery Trade in Florida are not Mayotte Bismarks but are in fact from Madagascar.  The distinct difference in the Mayotte Island Bismark and the Madagascar is the Mayotte Island Bismark appears to be larger and faster growing in Florida then the ones from Madagascar.  An example can be seen at the front line of the lot in there are 2 smaller bismarks that are from Madagascar,  the Mayotte Island Bismark near the mailbox is 1 year younger then the Madagascar, however the Mayotte Island is almost twice as big. Sitting next to the Mayotte Island Bismark near the mailbox is one of five Caryota Laosensis (gigantic black trunk fishtail).  This palm is from Laos (near Vietnam and Cambodia),  it is a smaller form type of the Caryota Obtusa,  the distinct difference from the other fishtail palms is this one has a jet black trunk and the way it holds its leaves makes the palm resemble a giant tree fern.  This palm sprouted from seed in 2001 and is already growing 12 foot long leaves.  The leaves are expected to grow as long as 45 feet each with an approximate 3 ft diameter trunk. This is one of the largest palm species on earth and this type of fishtail can cast shade similar to a large oak tree. Easy seen in the display, this fishtail palm is known as the Himalayan Mountain Fishtail.  Reports are this palm can survive temperatures of 7 degrees above zero and some people in London, England successfully grow this palm outdoors year round.  The most cold hardy of all fishtail palms, this one comes from mountain sides subject to annual snow fall and is part of the Caryota Maximus family. To the left with the white trunk is our Teddy Bear Palm (Dypsis Latifolia).  This palm has a strong resemblance to a coconut palm however unlike coconuts,  this palm can tollerate endless nights of 30 and 40 degree weather without being killed.  To the right is a genuine Cuban Royal Palm, taken from seed harvested in the Sierra Madres Mountains of central Cuba in the year 2000. Above is a foxtail palm.  This palm was started from seed in 1999 and has grown higher then the house behind it.  This palm is nearing the age where it may begin setting its own seed soon. In the pot is a Chameadorea Tepejote. This palm is basically a giant parlor palm and comes from the high Andes Mountains of Columbia.  This palm natively grows in the same areas that coca grows,  a plant that cocaine and coca cola classic are made from, however unlike most Columbian mountain palms or coca,  this palm thrives in Florida's sea level altitudes and it even grows better in the cooler winter days as opposed to summer.  Behind this palm is a Laosensis Giant Fishtail and near that is a very very rare called Dypsis Olyenhensis.  Not too far from here also is a Sabal Palm from Puerto Rico. Along the Christmas Light Trail near the front sidewalk of the house is a dwarf date palm called Phoenix Rupicola. This date palm is best described as a minature Canary Island Date Palm.  This palm is very well suited for central Florida however it is rarely ever seen. This is a piccabean palm.  A member of the King Palm family (archontophoenix),  this palm is one of the more cold hardy King Palms. Even more rare then the Piccabean palm above, this is one of 5 "purple piccabean" palms on the property.  If you look carefully, the trunk/crownshaft of this palm is a bright vivid "purple".  The banana looking plant that Frosty is looking at is a Madagascarian Traveler's Palm. Just to the left is a Carpentaria Palm. The carpentaria palm is from Australia and is known as a pencil pointing palm in that part of the world because it is very narrow at its growing point.   To the right of Frosty, the low growing palm is a Dypsis Cabadae palm.  It is very similar to the golden crown shaft palms known as Areca Palms,  however this one is red in color.   This has become "extinct" in its country of origin, Madagascar.  Supposedly fewer then 200 specimens of this palm exists in the world. This plant is Coffee Cubanesus,  or in other words,  Cuban Coffee.  The plant thrives in shaded conditions in central Florida, the coffee beans sprout easily, meaning, this form of Coffee can become a "weed" in your garden and easily survive mild freezes.  Seedlings produce healthy crops of coffee beans in a single year. Warning, unlike your red bean Arabica coffee, the black bean coffee plants are more of your cappuccino type coffees and are typically 15 times more potent per bean then your standard Maxwell House type coffee.   The palm leaf to the left of the coffee is a Puerto Rican Palm known as the Macaw Palm.

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