Coconuts

Coconuts grow on tall palm trees in warm, tropical places near the ocean. They are big, round, and have a hard brown shell. Inside is a layer of white meat and a clear liquid called coconut water. Coconuts are really big seeds, not regular fruits.

Coconut Palm Trees

Coconut palms can grow up to 100 feet tall and live for 80 years. They have long feathery leaves at the top and bunches of coconuts below them. These trees grow best on sandy beaches in hot places. Coconuts can float in the ocean for a long time and still grow when they wash up on shore. That is how they spread to islands all over the world.

Uses for Coconuts

Almost every part of a coconut can be used. The white meat is eaten fresh or dried and put in cookies and candy. Coconut water is a refreshing drink. Coconut milk is used in cooking, especially in Asian dishes. The shells can be made into bowls, and the leaves can be woven into mats and roofs.

Fun Facts

• Coconut trees can produce up to 75 coconuts per year.
• Coconut water was used as a drink for soldiers during wars when fresh water was hard to find.
• The name coconut comes from an old word meaning 'grinning face' because the three spots look like a face.

Did You Know?

A coconut can float across an entire ocean and still sprout into a new tree on a faraway beach, which is why coconut trees grow on so many tropical islands.