How do coconuts grow? Description of the palm. Coconut palm - Asian tree of life Palm root system

Palm trees are considered the most ancient plants, which were originally propagated by seeds and pollen. Under natural conditions, they can reach up to 9 meters in height, if growth is not artificially restrained. The size of a palm tree at home depends on care. The tallest palm tree in the world is the Wax palm, its height can reach up to 50 meters. This tree is the main plant symbol of Colombia.

The name comes from the Latin word "palma", which means "palm". And this is not surprising, because the leaves of the plant really resemble spread fingers in the palm of a person.

ON A NOTE! In Greece, the athlete who won the competition was awarded a palm branch. It was at this moment that the catchphrase "palm tree" was born.

The flowering of a room palm tree is similar to the flowering of a calla. For example, yucca has large white flowers that look like bluebells. Basically, the palm tree blooms with small yellow or white flowers on a small brush.

I would like to remind you that it was not nature that created indoor plants for us, but we are trying to grow them, hoping that they will take root at home. Palm is no exception. There are several types that will feel great at home:

1. Hovei Forster.
2. Hamedorei.
3. Rapis.

Plant appearance

On average, a palm tree lives about 150-200 years. For example, the coconut tree takes about 100 years to grow and produces about 450 nuts each year.

ON A NOTE! A coconut can travel thousands of kilometers in water, wash ashore, and germinate there.

There are 2 types of palm trees:

• With fan leaves. They diverge along the radius from the base. A bright representative is the date palm.
• Pinnate. Leaves diverge parallel to the sides of the vein in the center. A prominent representative is the bamboo palm.

Palm trees are perennial trees, rarely shrubs, most of which have a non-branching trunk, on top of which a crown grows. They can also grow as vines with thin stems. In tropical and subtropical areas, there are up to 1500.

Peculiarities

1. The trunk of a palm tree usually does not branch (an exception is the genus of doom palms). Its thickness is about a meter, and during its life it does not thicken. Among the palm trees there are climbing vines, the stems of which are about 2-3 centimeters thick and up to 300 meters long.
2. The inflorescence of a palm tree is an ear, which has an impressive size, branches. Flowers are located on the branches, sometimes they are immersed in its tissue. All inflorescences are surrounded by a veil.
3. What fruits grow on a palm tree? They can be in the form of a nut or a skeleton, a berry. Ornamental palms bear fruit in the form of small round berries.

exotic varieties

Let's talk about the types of exotic palm trees and how they bloom.

Decorative palm trees at home look very exotic.

The most common include:

• Brachea. It loves light, but grows best in partial shade. Not without spraying. Watering is moderate.
• Butia. A palm tree whose leaves resemble feathers. Blooms in late spring.
• Washingtonia. Fan palm, pleasing to the eye with white blossoms. It can reach a height of up to 18 meters.
• Giophorba. The young representative resembles a vase in appearance. It blooms with small flowers, pleasantly fragrant.
• Hamedorea. It is considered the most unpretentious species, tolerates shade well. Blooms almost all year round.
• Karyota. The leaves of the plant look like a fish tail. Blooms once a year for 5-6 years.
• Liviston. The leaves look like an open fan, reaching a height of up to 2 meters. Ideal for rooms.
• Rapis. Grows as a shrub. Very whimsical.
• Chamerops. Massive palm tree with a dense crown. Blooms from April to June.
• Yucca. A tree-like plant, the foxes of which are collected in bunches. White flowers are like bells.
• Goveya. Graceful plant, reaching a height of up to 2.5 meters. Requires careful care.
• Date palm. The most common species, grows in the form of a lush shrub.
• Sabal. A plant with fan-shaped leaves. The types of palm trees growing in the rooms are absolutely different from each other.
• Trachycarpus. It reaches a height of up to 2.5 meters, grows very slowly. Suitable for apartments.

Where is the homeland?

The plant has become widespread in many regions of the world. They are more common on the shores of tropical seas, high in the mountains and in humid forests. A huge number of species grow in Colombia and Madagascar. The fan palm is more common in Spain. The cirrus representative can be seen more often in Greece.

Also, some species grow on the territory of the former Soviet Union, for example, on the southern coast of Crimea.

Photo

And how a flower in the form of a room palm tree looks in the photo, you can see here.
Hovey Forster

Hamedorea


rapis


Brachea


Washingtonia


Giophorba


Karyota


Liviston


Hamerops


Yucca

Date palm


Sabal


Trachycarpus

Family

Most palms belong to the Palm or Arecaceae family.

What kind of care does it require?

Growing an exotic plant at home is not so easy. It needs proper care:

1. A pot with a plant is recommended to be placed on the south side of the house.
2. In summer, the temperature of the content should range from 16 to 20 degrees Celsius.
3. In the summer, be sure to moisturize the crown.
4. From early spring to late autumn, a palm tree blooming at home needs abundant watering. Drying out of the soil is unacceptable.
5. Green beauties are very fond of light, but you can not expose them to direct sunlight.
6. The plant is afraid of drafts.
7. The soil for growing should be light and fitted.
8. Palm trees need regular feeding and fertilizing.

reproduction

Hard enough.

Certain species can only be propagated by seed.

There are also plants whose reproduction is allowed by dividing the rhizome or by daughter shoots.

Seed propagation requires extreme care. Seedlings should grow with lower heating, while the temperature is about 35 degrees. How much do they grow? The first shoots can be observed in a couple of months. The life expectancy of a plant grown in this way is quite long.

scientific name

The scientific name of the palm is AREGAGEAE.

Diseases and pests

Palm at home can meet with such diseases:

• Root rot.
• Stem rot.
• Penicillosis.
• Spotting.

All problems that can occur with foliage (brown tips, brown lower leaves, spotting) are due to improper care.

Pests:

1. Shchitovka.
2. Spider mite.
3. Mealy worms.

Most often, insecticides are used to control pests and diseases, or they try to use folk methods.

INTERESTING TO KNOW! The palm is considered a legendary tree. The peoples of many countries to this day worship this plant.

Everyone likes such a magnificent tree as a palm tree. But growing it at home is quite difficult. So isn't it better to go to warm beaches and admire the plant while relaxing.

The palm tree is a plant that is perfect for adding a tropical touch to any garden. It is better to choose the type of palm tree for growing in the garden from those plants that are already cultivated in your climatic zone.

If there is a desire to experiment, then the plant must be chosen taking into account the appropriate conditions of detention that you can provide it with (lighting, temperature, watering, soil) - the conditions in which the selected type of palm tree is used to growing.

Lighting

For each type of palm there is an optimal and acceptable lighting. If the intensity of illumination of the palm tree goes beyond the permissible limits, then the plant begins to develop deviations: the leaves die prematurely, the shape changes, development slows down or stops.

Most palms, at different ages, require different levels of sunlight. For young palm trees that do not have a trunk, direct sunlight is contraindicated in most cases; they have enough scattered sunlight or partial shade. Mature plants grow, as a rule, in direct sunlight most of the day; for a smaller part of the day, they can develop in scattered sunlight or in partial shade.

For various types of palms, daylight hours are of great importance. Optimal, for the development of a plant, is such a length of daylight hours, which is equal to the length of the day in the homeland of the palm tree, that is, in its natural habitat.

If the light intensity is too high, then the palm leaves turn brown and die. If the light intensity is not sufficient, then parts of the plant are stretched and the palm tree takes on a "thin, lanky" appearance.

Temperature

Palm trees come from different climatic zones:

• where it is hot all year round;
• during the day the temperature reaches +35 0 С, and at night it does not fall below + 25 0 С;
• winter hardiness of some palms reaches (-17) 0 С;
• some species can withstand temperatures of +45 0 C without problems.

Considering the temperature characteristics of your region, you can choose the right plant.

The soil

Soils suitable for growing various types of palms have some common properties:

High drainage capacity;

Soil acidity pH (5.5 - 7.0).

Landing / transfer

Most types of palms negatively tolerate transplantation, in which an earthen lump is destroyed. Therefore, it is allowed to transship the plant with the preservation of an earthy coma. Also, when planting or transplanting most types of palm trees, you cannot change the level of deepening of the plant. The place for planting should be chosen taking into account the fact that the plant should be:

2) protected from prevailing winds.

Landing time is selected depending on the region. In cold areas, planting in open ground is carried out in the spring, after the threat of returning frosts has passed. In the tropics, you can not plant a plant during a drought period. Young palms that do not have a trunk are most susceptible to damage from adverse weather factors.

In most cases, planting material is grown in seedlings in a container culture.

Planting palm trees in open ground

The planting hole is dug twice as large (wider) than the diameter of the earthen clod (the root system of the plant), and 10-15% deeper than the height of the root system (the container of the plant being planted).

• We take the plant out of the pot, place it in the planting hole.
• We cover the free space with loose soil.
• After planting, we carry out abundant watering so that the earth sags and fills all the voids.
• Mulch the soil around the plant.

Watering

The frequency of watering in different types of palm trees is:

Without drying the earthen coma;

With slight drying of the earthy coma;

With a strong drying of the earthy coma.

The frequency of watering for each type of palm is indicated individually. Newly planted palm trees are watered with frequency - without drying the earthy coma. The amount of water during one-time watering depends on the age of the plant and the size of the root system: for a young plant, 1-3 liters of water is enough, for an adult plant, up to 200 liters are needed.

Humidity

The degree of significance of relative air humidity for each type of palm is individual. Palm trees reach their maximum decorative effect at high humidity.

Fertilizer

Top dressing is carried out during the period of vegetative growth of the plant. In the subtropics, we apply fertilizers from mid-spring to the end of summer. In tropical regions, fertilization is carried out during the period of palm growth, but the period itself is adjusted depending on the alternation of dry and rainy seasons.

As fertilizers, we use organic fertilizers or slow-release mineral fertilizers for palm trees, which can be applied both in dry form and in the form of solutions. The frequency of top dressing is once a month or once a month and a half. For young plants, to accelerate development, foliar top dressing can be carried out.

When fertilizing adult trees, it is necessary to take into account the structural features of the root system and the length of the roots, which can reach 12-15m.

Pests

Pests reduce the decorativeness of the plant and slow down its development, up to the death of the palm tree. The range of pests depends on the region where the plant is grown. In most cases, these are caterpillars gnawing leaves, mealybugs, scale insects, herbivorous mites.

Pest Control:

1) the gardener should not create favorable conditions for the development of the pest; various agrotechnical measures need to complicate the life of pests;

2) to protect the plant, with a strong population of pests, it is necessary to use biological or chemical preparations.

Diseases

Palm diseases can be divided into two groups:

1) problems of the plant due to violations of the conditions of detention, the presence of pests or physiological abnormalities;

2) diseases of infectious origin, the causative agent of which are: bacteria, fungi, mycoses.

For example, palm leaves turn yellow en masse. The reason for this may be: the presence of pests, too high intensity of solar radiation, damage to the root system. In turn, the root system can suffer from infectious diseases, or maybe from prolonged drought or wetting. In order to determine the source of the problem and the way to solve it, you need your own experience or expert advice, in extreme cases - luck.

Oddly enough, but not all people can answer the question of what grows on a palm tree correctly. Some believe that they can grow not only dates and coconuts, but also bananas and pineapples, which is quite incredible.

Types of palm plants

Palm is a southern woody plant that grows exclusively in tropical and subtropical climate zones. The Palm family belongs to flowering plants and has about 185 genera and 3400 species. There are especially many of these plants in the zones of Southeast Asia and in the tropical countries of South America.

In colder regions, palm representatives can be seen in the Mediterranean and North Africa, Crete, Japan and China, northern Australia, etc.

Palm trees can be found in completely different places, from the sea coast to the slopes of the highlands, near swamps and forests, as well as in hot desert oases. However, most of all they prefer humid and shady areas with a tropical climate, forming continuous thickets. Palm trees are also widespread in the African savannas, where they easily tolerate drought and hot winds.

Forms and structural features of palm trees

Palm trees are distinguished by a wide variety of growth forms:

• tree-like: Cuban, royal, corypha umbrella-bearing; washingtonia thread-bearing; barrigona, Theban hyphena (dum-palm);
• shrub-like: lanceolate chamedorea, acelorafa;
• stemless: shrub palmetto, Wallich herring, creeping serenoa;
• climbing vines: calamus.

The original structural features of palm trees are that the plant does not have the usual botanical elements, such as a trunk and branches:

• Its "trunk" is formed from the remains of obsolete leaves, which harden and form a column; it can only grow upwards, but not in width, and this process is quite long (1 m grows in 10 years);
• the roots at the base form a bulb, from which small roots extend;
• nutritious juices circulate only in the center of the "trunk", due to which palm trees are considered refractory;
• due to the ability to re-sprout leaves from its own trunk, this plant is called the "phoenix tree".

Among palm trees there are mono- and dioecious plants, in the second option there are male plants that pollinate females, respectively, fruits are only on the latter. In nature, pollination occurs with the help of wind, and in cultural plantings, people do it manually. Fruit ripening lasts about 200 days.

palm tree fruits

The palm tree is one of the most useful plants for humans, because many of its varieties produce very tasty and even medicinal fruits: dates, coconuts, etc. They are used to make flour, oil, alcoholic beverages, and fibers are also produced on an industrial scale, from which bags and bags are made. other fabric products.

The most useful fruits for humans that grow on a palm tree are dates and coconuts.

A date is a cylindrical berry with a thin peel, its average weight is 7 g, of which 2 g falls on the bone. The sugar content in it reaches 70%, calorie content - 30 kcal / piece. 10 dates per day provide the daily requirement of the human body for magnesium, sulfur, copper, iron and a quarter of calcium.

Many tasty and healthy components are extracted from coconut:

• juice or water - a clear liquid, the endosperm of a coconut, contained inside the fruit, as it ripens, it mixes with oil and hardens;
• coconut milk - obtained after squeezing grated copra, it is white and quite fatty, after adding sugar it is very tasty;
• oil - extracted from coconut copra, is a valuable product due to the high content of fatty acids, used in cosmetics and treatment.

Coconut palm

It is not for nothing that this plant is called the “tree of life” in the tropics, because the locals use almost all of its parts for food and the manufacture of various products, leaves and wood are used in construction.

However, for unlucky people, this palm tree can become a “tree of death”, because according to statistics, 150 people die every year from hitting such nuts on the head. The weight of an average coconut is about 1-3 kg, so even if it falls on the roof of a car, it leaves a dent, and it is deadly for the head.

Coconut palm fruits grow in groups of 15-20 pieces. and mature in 8-10 months. Fruiting in trees lasts up to 50 years, during this period each palm tree brings 60-120 nuts annually.

Outside, the coconut is covered with a hard shell, inside there is pulp and liquid, which becomes sweet as the fruit ripens. You can clean it with a knife or machete.

Date palm

Date palms have been cultivated in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) since the 4th century BC. e. The tree bears fruit for 60-80 years, and can live up to 150.

There are legends about the benefits and calorie content of date palm fruits. So, the Arabs believe that every warrior can live in the desert for 3 days, eating 1 date, eating first the pulp, then the skin, on the 3rd day - the crushed bone. Regular consumption of these fruits in food reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, slows down the aging process.

One of the resorts of Elche in Spain is famous for its park of date palms (since 2000 the park has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List), of which about 300 thousand are planted here, and dates are harvested regularly.

roystone palm

royal palm ( Roystonea) - has a chic look corresponding to the name, standing out from its surroundings and landscape. The height of the tree can reach 40 m, the trunk is smooth gray, at its top is a crown of huge feathery leaves up to 8 m long, 2 m wide. The plant is monoecious: male and female flowers are located on the same tree below the crown.

Roystone has 17 species, distributed in the southern states of the United States, in Central and South America, in the West Indies. The most popular species is the Cuban palm ( Roystonea regia) and the royal vegetable palm, from which the edible juicy apical buds are harvested, called "palm cabbage".

Roystones are planted as a decorative ornament along the boulevards and avenues in the cities of the tropical region, along the edge of the beaches, they are often used for decoration in landscape design.

Everything that grows on the Roystone palm is successfully used by man: the trunks are used in construction, the leaves and fibers are used to make roofing and wickerwork, the fruits are eaten with pleasure by livestock, and palm oil is produced from seeds.

Bismarckia noble

Rod Bismarck ( Bismarckia nobilis) includes the only species that is also called the Bismarck palm, named after the 1st chancellor of Germany. This drought-resistant tree is distinguished by its original appearance and color, and is widespread on the island of Madagascar.

The petioles grow from a single grey-yellow-brown trunk, which has ringed indentations (45 to 80 cm in diameter at the base). In nature, palm trees grow up to 12-25 m tall. Beautiful silver-blue rounded leaves reach 3 m, dividing into segments at the ends. Petioles are 2-3 m long, protected by spikes and covered with white wax.

The plant is dioecious, flowers grow on dark purple stems, fruits are brown ovoid up to 48 cm in length, inside there is a drupe with one seed. Bismarckia leaves are used to make roofing and wickerwork, and sago with a bitter aftertaste is prepared from the core.

Such a palm tree can be successfully grown at home, it looks spectacular in the interior and is unpretentious in care.

Decorative and indoor palm trees

For lovers of exotic plants, palm trees are great, because growing them at home does not present any difficulties in caring for them. In the countries of the European region and Russia, decorative palm trees take root best in winter gardens and greenhouses, where they can create a suitable microclimate, because the plant is still southern and thermophilic.

The plant propagates by seeds, which can be found in specialized flower shops. The most common species that can be grown in apartments and houses:

• Date palm, often grown from seed, at home it can grow up to 2 m, forming a lush crown over a shaggy trunk.
• Dracaena has been used for several 10 years in landscaping houses and apartments, propagated by seeds and cuttings, the leaves have a light or dark green color, less often striped, and can form several trunks.
• Areca - has a flexible trunk, decorated with meter-long feathery leaves.
• Trachycarpus is a decorative species of palm trees with an original bottle-shaped trunk and fan leaves, blooms with white and yellow flowers with a pleasant smell, blue-black fruits.
• Hovea Foster is a popular species, easy to care for, little susceptible to attack by pests and diseases, leaves are dark green, etc.

Palm tree care in an apartment

The most important rule when growing an ornamental palm tree at home is to create high humidity and proper lighting. With dry air in the apartment due to winter heating, the plants must be sprayed frequently and watered with distilled or filtered water: in the summer months - 2-3 times a week, in the winter - daily.

Every year, a young palm tree needs to be replanted, picking up a more spacious pot, older trees less often. Plants and their roots are afraid of drafts, so tubs are not recommended to be placed on a windowsill or floor. Many types of palm trees cannot stand direct sunlight, preferring bright and diffused lighting.

However, at home, all plants only bloom, and the rare fruit that sets never ripens. Thus, it will not be possible to find out what grows on a palm tree, but an exotic green beauty in a tub in the middle of the house will create a cozy tropical corner and a positive emotional atmosphere.

which in many countries are credited with properties to strengthen human health and prolong life.

About palm Dates Phoenix dactylifera known from the 7th millennium BC in Sumer, Assyria and Ancient Egypt. Its trunks are straight, up to 15–20 m high, 80 cm in diameter, they form offspring at the base.

Leaves 4-6 m long. Fruits - Dates, oblong or oval, up to 7.5 cm long and 3.5 cm in diameter, contain a large amount of nutrients, have long been known for their healing properties.

Dates are fruits of the date palm

From ancient times legends about the tree of life, symbolizing immortality and renewal, have come down to us. This symbol has a very real prototype. For the peoples of the Middle East and Arabia, the living embodiment of the "cosmic" tree was

According to the ideas of the ancient inhabitants of Western Asia, the gods and the first people ate the fruits of this plant. The date palm meant fertility and prosperity.

Date palm has been familiar to man for so long that now no one will remember which people, where and when they first used it as an agricultural crop. Unknown to science and its wild ancestor.

Scientists believe that agriculture began with gardening. The date palm was one of the first garden trees.

Unknown peoples have learned to fence wild palm groves, take care of young trees, and protect them from animals. Ancient gardeners, through trial and error, came up with artificial pollination, which helped to get a good harvest.

unripe dates painted in bright red or yellow, depending on the variety. They usually stay on the tree to dry.

Date palms live 150-200 years and bear fruit every year, starting at about 7-10 years of age, however, a full-fledged harvest can be obtained only a few years after the first fruiting.

The palm tree is able to bear fruit until old age, but upon reaching 60-70 years old becomes too high for pollination and harvest.

Palm trees grow rapidly - by 35-50 cm per year, and by the age of 15-17 they reach a height of 6-7 meters. The average height of these trees is 12–32 meters. Their trunk is almost straight and "shaggy" from the bases of fallen leaves. The top is crowned with a rosette of 13-15 pinnate leaves, which can reach a length of five meters.

Long, panicle-like inflorescences emerge from the axils of the leaves. Moreover, on one tree they can only be of the same sex. The flowers are fleshy, fragrant: female - white, male - creamy, waxy. On one palm tree can bloom from 6 to 10 thousand flowers.

Most often, it is planted in oases, where the level of groundwater is relatively low. The Arabs say: the queen of palm oases has her head bathed in the fire of the sun's rays, and her feet in the water of underground springs.

Date palm drought tolerant and grows in saline soils, it tolerates floods well.

When the fruits begin to ripen, the inflorescences bend under their weight. Ripe dates are oblong berries of yellowish-brown or reddish-chestnut color, 2–7 cm long, with sweet, nutritious pulp, in which a hard seed is hidden with a longitudinal furrow on the side.

For their maturation, it is necessary that the air temperature reach during the day 35-40C.

Dates are easily absorbed by the body and in terms of their nutritional properties are superior not only to other fruits, but also to cereals. And in terms of taste, they belong to the dessert fruits of the highest class.

What is so valuable contains the fruits of the date palm?

Firstly, a large amount of natural, easily digestible sugar (fructose, glucose, sucrose), which serves as an excellent source of energy for the human body.

Secondly, 23 types of amino acids not found in apples, oranges and bananas.

Third, healthy vegetable fats, pectin and fiber. And, in addition, a lot of trace elements and vitamins.

Nutritionists claim that one date and a glass of milk can provide the minimum required human need for nutrients. The 23 types of amino acids found in dates are not found in most other fruits.

Dried date fruits contain 60-65% sugar- the highest percentage compared to all other fruits. And this is mainly glucose and fructose consumption of which does not have negative consequences for the human body in comparison with sucrose. They are very quickly absorbed by the body, fructose relieves nervous tension.

Since ancient times, the fruits of the date palm have been known for their healing properties. .

Dates - bunches of fruits on a palm tree

It was believed that date palm fruit give strength, endurance, increase life expectancy, enhance male sexual potency.

They strengthen the heart, liver and kidneys, promote the development of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, maintain the acid balance of the body and nourish the blood, promote the development of the root endings of the brain, enhance the body's ability to resist various infections, including viral ones.

Dates also useful in anemia and hypertension, for the chest and lungs, soothe coughs and promote the removal of sputum, extremely useful for brain activity.

Dietary fiber contained in dates reduces the risk of cancer.

Dates were widely used to combat various oncological diseases, tuberculosis, all kinds of tumors, infectious and other diseases.

It is believed that dried dates have a positive effect on the brain, increasing its performance by 20% or more.

Dates are extremely useful for brain activity, as they are 2.2% protein, and also contain vitamins A, B1 and B2.

Proteins strengthen the body's immunity to diseases and infections.

Vitamin A strengthens the eye muscles, bone tissue and teeth.

Vitamin B1 beneficial effect on the nervous system.

Vitamin B2 helps burn proteins, carbohydrates and fats, thus providing energy for the body and for cell renewal.

Iron, contained in large quantities in dates, controls the synthesis of hemoglobin in red blood cells, which provides the proper amount of vital blood cells - erythrocytes, prevents the development of anemia and ensures normal development fetus in the womb.

In the fruits of date palms contains a lot of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, mineral salts, vitamins of groups A and B, essential amino acids, protein, etc.

Date palm - always abundant fruiting

Scientists believe that 10 dates per day enough to meet the daily human need for magnesium, copper, sulfur, half of the need for iron, a quarter of the need for calcium.

Dates are especially useful women during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. They facilitate childbirth, contribute to the beginning of the production of milk by the female body.

Calorie content: on average, one date contains 23 calories. Due to the fact that dates low calorie and contain a huge amount of useful substances, they are recommended to be used instead of sweets for everyone who is on a diet, or just trying to maintain your weight is normal.

Like most plant foods, Dates do not contain cholesterol.

However, dates should not be overused due to their high sugar content, which erodes tooth enamel. In addition, in some cases, dates cause migraines.

Dates contain 60-65% carbohydrates - the highest percentage compared to other fruits, as well as - copper, iron, magnesium, zinc, manganese, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, aluminum, cadmium, cobalt, sulfur, boron, protein, oil .

Vitamins A, A1, C, B1, B2, B6, niacin, riboflamin, as well as pantothenic acid, which promote the digestibility of carbohydrates, regulate blood glucose levels and fatty acids.

Pectin, a dietary fiber that reduces the risk of certain cancers. Fluoride protects teeth from caries. Selenium, which reduces the risk of cancer, strengthens the immune system and reduces the risk of heart disease.

Due to the high content of potassium doctors recommend eating dates for cardiovascular diseases.

In case of heart failure, dates stimulate the activity of the heart, serve as a tonic and tonic, restore strength after a long illness.

Dates help with paralysis of the facial nerve, with overwork and physical fatigue, with diabetese . A decoction of dates with rice helps with dystrophy.

Even in dates, about sixty percent of sugar, which far exceeds its amount in other fruits. What is most important is mainly fructose and glucose, which are completely safe for the body and make dates akin to honey.

According to their nutritional, dietary and medicinal properties, dates are equated to cereals.

date palm fruits useful for adults, children, pregnant women.

Fresh dates are added to many dishes - fruit salads, muffins, homemade cookies, pies and cakes.

Date honey, sugar, alcoholic date juice are produced from dates, palm flour is produced from the core of the tree. Fresh dates keep well in the refrigerator.

Date sugar is much healthier for the body than cane or beet sugar.

If you put dried dates in hot milk for a while, their taste improves, and with a filling of butter, nuts, almonds or thick cream, the content of proteins and protein necessary for the human body increases.

Arabs make a paste from dates that can be stored all year round.

The fruits of dates are also used for the preparation of compotes, muesli, kissel and all kinds of confectionery, they are a great dessert.

They can be turned into flour, get something like honey.

After fermentation, a pleasant drink is obtained from them. Dates are very useful for digestion, they have a cleansing effect on the digestive system.

Since sun-dried and dried dates have a sticky surface, and pollutants and bacteria can get on them, you should not keep them outdoors for a long time, but they must be washed before use.

The coconut palm is a unique plant that is the only representative of the genus Coconut, belonging to the Palm family. There are only intraspecific varieties, and the size of the plant is taken as the basis for their classification.

This is how tall palm trees are distinguished, they are widely used for home and commercial cultivation, and their height reaches 25-30 meters. Such coconut palms grow slowly at maturity and begin to bear fruit 6-10 years after planting. At the same time, over the next 60 years, and sometimes longer, the palm tree will annually bring dozens of nuts. For such varieties, cross-pollination is inherent, so several specimens are planted at once.

Dwarf coconut palms grow up to 10 meters in height and at the same time begin to bear fruit from the third year, reaching a meter in length. They do not live as long as their tall counterparts, up to 30-40 years. As a rule, these plants are self-pollinating and do not need a related neighborhood for fruiting.

Coconut palms do not have taproots, but at the same time they acquire many primary fibrous roots, which together resemble a huge broom. The roots grow from a thickening at the bottom of the trunk. The outer ones spread widely in the horizontal plane, the inner roots go deep down, up to 10 meters.

This arrangement of the root system allows coconuts to grow successfully on sandy coasts, subject to the constant influence of ocean tides. Although this is not enough, and one can often observe intricately curved trunks of palm trees with a root system washed out of the soil.

The trunk of a coconut palm tree has no branches and grows from a single apical bud, called the heart of a coconut, which is the densely folded rudiments of the future leaves of the plant. The base of the trunk in adulthood reaches 0.8 meters in diameter. Throughout the rest of the length of the palm tree, the thickness of the trunk is unchanged, and is somewhere around 0.4 meters in girth.

Stem growth is quite intense in the early stages and can reach up to 1.5 meters per year. But as they grow older, the plant slows down and adds only 10-15 cm per year. The trunk of the coconut palm does not have a cambium, and therefore is not able to restore damaged tissues, and the loss of a single kidney causes the death of the plant. However, adult coconuts grow up to 18,000 vascular bundles in the trunk, helping palms withstand significant physical damage.

The first leaves of a coconut tree that emerge from a sprouted nut are like feathers joined together. After the first 8-10 leaves, true leaves develop, with divided transverse stripes. As a rule, a normal adult palm tree produces 12-16 new leaves per year, each of which bears an inflorescence.

At the same time, 30-40 leaves grow on a coconut, with the same number of leaf primordia. It takes about 30 months from the appearance of a leaf rudiment to its full development. A mature coconut palm leaf grows up to 3-4 meters long and has 200-250 stripes. The leaf remains in the crown for about three years, and then falls off, leaving a scar on the trunk.

The age of an adult palm tree is directly related to the number of scars from fallen leaves. The number of scars divided by 13 gives the approximate age of the plant in years.

How do coconut trees bloom and bear fruit?

Coconut inflorescence is enclosed in a double shell and resembles an ear, each of which is located in the axil of the leaf. Palm trees are monoecious plants, that is, their inflorescences bear both male and female flowers. Moreover, men are more numerous. The female flowers are located at the base of the spikelets, the male flowers are located at the terminal part.

The inflorescence germ is found 4 months after the leaf is separated. Flowers stand out and grow after another 22 months. And only a year after that, the shell of the inflorescence opens. Male flowers bloom first in the spikelets, which is accompanied by the release of pollen. The whole process on each inflorescence lasts only one day, and then the flowers fall off. In total, the male flowering phase of the coconut palm lasts about 20 days, depending on the variety and conditions.

A few days later, the female flowering phase begins, lasting up to 3-8 days. Each female flower remains susceptible to pollen for 1-3 days. In a normal coconut inflorescence, 10-50 such flowers grow. As a rule, 50-70% of them remain unpollinated and crumble, which is especially characteristic in dry weather. The rest of the flowers develop into fruits, which will take about 12 more months to ripen, or up to 8 months in undersized palms.

The length of the male and female phases depends on climatic conditions and does not usually overlap in tall varieties of coconut palms. Therefore, self-pollination occurs very rarely. In some dwarf coconuts, such as the Malayan dwarfs, the phases overlap to promote self-pollination.

Coconut fruits are fibrous drupes. Young fruits have a smooth outer surface with a color from green to red-brown. Ripe coconuts have a fibrous surface, which is the raw material for producing coconut fiber. Under the coconut fiber grows a hard waterproof shell that protects the core of the fruit and thanks to which the coconut fruit can travel great distances on the surface of the ocean.

From the inside, the hard shell is covered with 12 mm of white pulp - copra. There is liquid in the center of the coconut, coconut water is watery and clear when unripe. Over time, the water becomes cloudy and thick, and its amount decreases - this is coconut milk. Coconut fruits have a lot of useful qualities that allow them to be widely used for food, as well as for other household purposes.

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