The Parts & the Uses of Coconut Trees

The coconut palm tree is a versatile and prolific plant, playing a part in the medical treatment of soldiers in World War II, sheltering residents of island nations, and providing ancient civilizations with spears for hunting. One of the most useful and interesting trees used commercially, the coconut tree yields hundreds of products from its various parts, according to the University of Florida Extension website. While many plants are used commercially for the fruit they bear or the wood they are made of, the coconut palm is used for many purposes that rely on nearly every part of the species.

The coconut palm’s most obvious uses come from the nut itself. The trees begin producing fruit from three to six years depending on the specific cultivar, and it is an essential part of many products. Inside the immature nut there is liquid commonly called coconut water. This liquid is clear and slightly sweet, containing sugar and various nutrients. According to the Union County College website, the water inside a coconut is so sterile that it was sometimes used in place of glucose in I.V. solutions for the wounded soldiers in World War II.

Squeezing the meat of the nut produces coconut milk. The milk is used for various culinary purposes as a sweetener and flavor additive. The nut meat is also the source of coconut oil, a valuable cooking oil with lard-like consistency used in ice cream, soap, candles, lubricants and much more. The meat of a mature nut is shredded to make coconut shavings used in cooking as well.

Coconut shells have been used to make dishes, utensils, buttons and as a virtually smokeless burning fuel.

The flowers on the coconut palm are surrounded by a sheath used to manufacture a material similar to burlap, according to the Union College website. This material is used to make various types of apparel.

If the flowers are bound together on the plant and cut they will drip sap that can be boiled down to make syrup. The syrup can also be processed into alcohol or vinegar.

The husk of the coconut can be soaked in salt water and separated into a fiber called coir. Coir is used to make twine, rope and rugs. It is also an excellent organic soil mixture for growing plants. The same material is ground into a sand-like consistency and is added directly to potting soil.

The large, wide leaves of the coconut palm have been used to make a variety of items including brushes, brooms, hats and clothing. The leaves are cut into small strips, or left whole to serve as makeshift roofs or fences in tropical island villages. The soft part of the leaf works well in many applications, but the stiff rib in the center of each leaf is also used as kindling for fires. The ribs also make good skewers for cooking and have even been used as an arrow for hunting in primitive cultures.