Coconut is considered as the tree of life because of the multitude of bounties it offers. Virtually every part of the tree can be used for different purposes. It is a member of the Palm Family, which includes the Philippines’ national leaf: Anahaw. The Sanskrit language’s rough English translation of the coconut tree is “the tree which provides all necessities of life.”

It offers four harvests annually or up to 75 fruits per year. In tropical countries like the Philippines, coconuts are significant to our annual GDP and GNP. Scientist and entrepreneur Justino Arboleda claims that if one was to become stranded on an island populated by coconut trees, he or she can survive by solely depending on the bounties that the coconut offers

The tree can be grown throughout tropical climate countries. It is known for its sturdiness. It can grow on sandy soils and highly tolerant on salt. This is why coconuts are predominant on shorelines across the Philippines. It prefers abundant sunlight and regular rainfall.

As sturdy as the coconut tree may seem, the Filipinos preference of office jobs rather than traditional land tilling jobs has greatly affected the coconut tree population in the country. Today, it is one of the symbols of the old slow-paced Filipino life. 

Planting
Under favorable conditions, it takes around 5 years before a coconut yields fruits. To propagate a tree the planting depth should be no less than 12 inches. It is remarkably adaptable to a wide range of soil types, compatible to intercropping with many agricultural species, and is not affected by animal grazing.

Harvesting
The fruit is a rigid drupe. It consists of (from the outside in): a thin hard skin called exocarp; a thicker layer of fibrous mesoscarp commonly known as husk; hard endocarp; also known as the shell; and white endosperm commonly known as kernel; and a large cavity filled with sticky liquid.

When it is not yet mature (buko in Tagalog), the exocarp is usually green. It turns bronze when nearing maturity. Wide variation in fruit shape and size exists within types and populations. Fruit shapes vary from elongated to almost spherical and weigh between 2 to 8 lbs when mature.

According to Ariel Antones, a coconut plantation caretaker, it takes about 5 months for the fruit to reach its full maturity. But he was quick to note that it doesn’t mean that there is a 5-month wait to harvest.

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