Invasive in some states
This plant is assessed as invasive in parts of the US. It is not illegal, but consider a non-invasive alternative and check your local guidance before planting it.
Malayan Dwarf Coconut
Cocos nucifera 'Malayan Dwarf'
fruitThe Malayan Dwarf is the coconut palm most often planted in home landscapes, a smaller, earlier-bearing selection with a slim, straight trunk that begins flowering years sooner than tall types. It comes in green, yellow, and golden forms and is prized both as an iconic ornamental palm and for its fruit - the sweet water and tender white meat of young green nuts, and the firmer meat of mature brown ones. Coconut is the signature palm of the frost-free tropical coast, tolerant of sand, salt spray, and even flooding, and a single mature palm can yield 50 to 200 nuts a year over decades of life.
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Sun
full sun
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Water
Every 7 days
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Harvest
~5 yrs
to first harvest
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Difficulty
medium
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Lifecycle
perennial
Comes back every year
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Spacing
15-20 ft apart
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Planting Depth
Set the sprouted nut about 1 inch below the soil surface
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Soil pH
5.5-7.5
Growing Details
Soil Type
Sandy, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 10 – 13
When to Fertilize
3-4 times a year, year-round in the tropics
Fertilizer
Complete palm fertilizer (Palm Special) with K, Mg, and micronutrients
🌱 Growing Guide
Coconut is strictly tropical and frost-tender, suited only to zones 10b to 11. It demands full sun and sandy, well-drained soil, but is unusually tolerant of salt, wind, and brief flooding, which is why it lines tropical beaches. Plant a sprouted nut or seedling about an inch below the soil surface and mulch to hold moisture. Give about an inch of water a week through the first year of establishment; mature palms are fairly self-sufficient in a rainy tropical climate. Palms are prone to nutrient deficiencies, especially potassium and magnesium, so feed three or four times a year with a complete palm fertilizer (a Palm Special with controlled-release N, K, Mg, and micronutrients) rather than a generic product. Note that coconut is listed as invasive in parts of South Florida, so do not plant near canals or natural areas.
Planting Calendar
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Direct sow
Apr 15
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Projected first harvest
Mar 11 · Year 6
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
Year 1
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- Sweet Potato: A salt- and heat-tolerant groundcover that shades the sandy root zone beneath the palm
- Lemongrass: A clumping aromatic that thrives in the same hot, sandy, coastal ground
- Banana: A lush tropical understory companion that enjoys the same warmth and moisture in a frost-free garden
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts. Tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
A deadly phytoplasma disease - plant resistant Malayan Dwarf or hybrid stock, control the planthoppers that spread it, and remove infected palms promptly
A related fatal phytoplasma - monitor for older fronds bronzing first, use resistant stock, and remove infected palms to slow spread
A fungal rot of the growing point in wet conditions - improve drainage and treat early with a phosphite (fosetyl-Al) product
Usually minor - rinse off colonies or treat with horticultural oil; keep the palm well nourished
🌾 Harvest & storage
A Malayan Dwarf begins flowering in about 4 to 6 years and reaches full production over many more, then bears continuously. For drinking nuts, harvest green coconuts at about 6 to 7 months, when they are full of sweet water and the jelly-like meat is soft; for copra and firm meat, let nuts mature about 11 to 12 months until the husk browns. Cut or twist down nuts with a pole saw rather than waiting for them to fall (falling nuts are a real hazard near paths and seating). A mature palm yields 50 to 200 nuts a year.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
Fresh coconut meat is rich and energy-dense (about 354 calories per 100 g) with 9 g fiber, manganese, copper, and iron, while the water of a young nut is a light, naturally electrolyte-rich drink (around 19 calories per 100 g, high in potassium). Used for fresh eating, milk, oil, and refreshing coconut water.
For educational and informational purposes only. HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.