Palm trees and at the present time many people feed, drink and dress. And the most useful of them is just a coconut tree. Today it is in first place in the list of the most important trees in the world. Coconut palm grows in the hot tropics and is their symbol. Its homeland is considered the Malaysian archipelago.
This palm tree is found on various islands, shores of the seas and oceans. It is distinguished by a high trunk (about 30 meters), which, as a rule, is inclined towards the sea. Almost all islands located in the Pacific Ocean are occupied by groves of coconut palms .
These plants are not afraid of salt water. On the contrary, for the normal growth of this palm tree, almost 1.5 kg of salt is required per year. Coconut palm begins to bloom at the age of 7 to 12 years. The appearance of its inflorescences resembles a panicle, and their height sometimes reaches two meters. The fruits of this palm - coconuts - ripen for a long time, throughout the whole year.
On top of such a nut is covered with hard peel, and from the inside it is lined with a layer of fibers. In an unripe nut is about 0.5 liters of sweet and sour, clear liquid, which is rich in vitamins and sugar. This is an excellent drink in hot weather. As the fruit ripens, this liquid turns from transparent to white, which is why it is called "coconut milk." Then it gradually becomes pulp. This process is called coconut endosperm alteration.
The seed is contained in a stone with three holes, which is very hard. Only one of these holes is intended for germination of the embryo, the rest are simply overgrown. The weight of a ripe nut is from one to two kilograms. After ripening, they fall into the water and rush with the stream. After swimming in the sea for more than 100 days, coconuts can germinate even in water.
Around the world, the coconut tree has settled without human help. It is well deserved and justified in the tropics, it is called the "tree of life." So, oil is squeezed out of the previously dried endosperm (copra), and the cake is fed to livestock feed. Strong and elastic fiber is used for weaving ropes, making brushes and mats.
Fine jewelry, buttons and dishes are made from hard stones. Sweet juice is extracted from the inflorescences, which is subsequently processed into sugar, alcohol, and wine. Wood serves as a durable material for the construction of housing, the roofs of which are covered with leaves of the same palm. For these homes, the coconut palm provides fuel and furniture.
Palms today are considered the best representatives of ornamental plants grown at home. They are very popular in home decoration. These guests from the tropical zone bring to the house a piece of exotic countries.
But it is precisely their affiliation with the exotic tropics that must be taken into account when decorating this or that room. So, home palm trees like high humidity and a lot of sun. Therefore, they should be located exclusively in spacious rooms with large windows, in which there is a lot of sunlight.
Subject to this rule, the foliage of these plants will be able to please with its good growth and decorativeness. But it is very important to remember that these palm trees absolutely cannot stand drafts. Yes, and on cold window sills or on a marble floor, they do not take root: their roots are very sensitive to cold, so they must be constantly warm.
It is worth noting that not all decorative palm trees love direct sunlight. For many, the scattered light falling through the translucent curtains is quite enough. Watering should be, as a rule, plentiful, and in winter - moderate. In any case, the earth should not be too wet, but only wet. And so that palm trees respond with saturated bright foliage, do not forget about frequent and regular spraying.