coconut palms in NSW?

earthmedicine starts with ...
Has anyone had any success with growing coconuts south of queensland? any tips/ secrets?

Speedy says...
Coconut -the most useful tree in the world and one of my all time favorites.
I'd say from my experience that Gold Coast to Byron Bay area would be the southern limit for fruiting of coconut.

Growth of the trees this far south can be painfully slow and fruiting unreliable, with nuts often not forming meat fully covering the inside of the shell.

Also the nuts often tend to be sort of football shaped making it difficult to scrape out the meat to make milk/cream.

Quality can vary a lot from year to year.

Most of the trees observed didn't appear to have been given much attention or care re. fert, watering etc.

Some trees on the Gold Coast, however do fruit regularly with well shaped nuts.
These would be the trees to select from to grow new trees to try in Mullumbimby.

For the best chance of success around Mullum, select an elevated site (up off the flats) out of the frost, north or north-easterly facing slope well protected from cold southerly winds in a rich well drained soil and keep well fed and watered.

Plant as many as you have the space for in a mixed fruit garden.
They could take 20yrs to fruit maybe 10yrs if they're looked after, who knows?
It'd be a worthwhile project though.

trikus says...
they guy who sells cocotap , a great invention that taps the liquid in a coconut [ has site ] used to have a link to buy these dwarfs .

CactusIsland says...
Hi all,
We can now supply a range of dwarf coconuts (germinated nuts) including Malayan Green Dwarf, Golden Dwarf, Red Dwarf, Spicata Dwarf & others via mail order throughout Australia (except Tassie). We can send un-germinated coconuts to Western Australia as well. Email for enquiries! Cheers, El - CactusIsland Nursery

Alex S. says...
By the way Goodna is located SW of Brisbane towards Ipswich. I gets colder here then in Brisbane. And we get around 10-15 frosts a year

golly says...
I live in the Northern suburbs of Sydney,I want a tree variety which will grow and if so would like to have one and if you could send me the cost involved.

trikus says...
I planted a small sprouted nut when I first shifted here 5 years ago .
I got fruit from a mate with lovely Malay Gold dwarf , the small plant is 2 years old .
Another 3 years and I have the first flower , hopefully some fruit next year.
There is a great bearing tree in Childers down the side street going to the Post Office Hotel , from memory its in the yard of the attached house to the 'Olde Butcher shop'

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trikus says...
Nowhere , they will not fruit in Sydney .
My tree blew over in yasi , and I have gradually jacked it up top approx 30 degrees.

Pictures - Click to enlarge
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snottiegobble says...
yeah, theyre nearly all canary island date palms in St kilda but never any dates either!

Mike says...
They are quite common up here especially the orangey Malay Dwarf and get quite tall after 15 years or so.The coconuts are better quality and the trees are supposedly less cold tolerant.The only nursery I have seen selling shot coconuts is Limberlost.

coconut fan says...
Thanks John, I'll check the link weekly and hopefully they'll become available soon.

regardss

trikus says...
Taken 2 years for mine to get over Yasi .. flowers galore ..

Pictures - Click to enlarge
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denise1 says...
Perhaps the forest coconuts you have are from the Iron range N.P.

Mike says...
Not too many native coconuts in Iron Range or Australia for that matter.There is a diverse gene pool and some will be more cold hardy than others for sure.Melanesia and polynesia has a bunch of types and it would be good to have those,the SE Asian and Indian Ocean types in Australia.

Mike says...
Oraniopsis appendiculata is also in many places in the wet tropics above 700m and not that much like coconuts and not on Cape York.You'd have a white lemuroids' chance in the Simpson of finding them in cultivation.

Mike says...
Come to think of it some low ones at Fishery Falls,Hervey Creek and along a few other creek lines off the B'ker Range.

Jaya says...
Does anyone know if I can get coconut seedlings in Perth?

Jaya says...
Does anyone know if I can get coconut seedlings in Perth?

Shayani says...
Hey, anyone know a place to buy coconut shells (waste)???
If you know please let me know!!!

jerry says...
Alex S.
I just saw that palm growing in Goodna, read the article and am amazed and am amazed. I always thought there was no hope for growing down in northern rivers, but it has been rekindled.
Is there any way you think I could get in touch with the owner for some nuts and try to breed one that would consistently do well here. It may never work, but just seems like a lot of fun to me.
Cheers, Jerry.

Wampa says...
I'm from Perth and have a lovely Fijian dwarf coconut growing very happily. I don't own a greenhouse and even in the winter it has put out 3-4 new fronds without any special care. It is also in a large pot as I don't have a permanent place in the ground for it at the moment. Very pleased with it and it seems to be low maintenance. Should also add that the palm is approx 2 years old, maybe a bit less.

Wampa says...
Hi 2, I got her from a backyard seller south of the river, last year. He had a limited stock of them, so I'm unsure if he is still selling them.

symiot says...
totallyjezzball, you won't get any luck here I'm afraid. This is a public forum not a Daley's contact board if that's who you're chasing.

stephen bridge says...
Gday there are quite a few cocont trees growing in Port Macquarie plus one at North Haven they dont set viable seed