Coconut Trees (Cocos nucifera)

When most people think of a tropical beach, one of the first things that comes to mind is coconut trees swaying in the breeze. And yes, they are found all over Barbados, both in the wild and in peoples’ gardens. Surprisingly, the island does not have any coconut plantations, but some are grown commercially on a smaller scale.

And they are so easy to grow - find a dry coconut still in it’s husk and drop it on the ground. Check back in six months and there will be a young tree sprouting up from the dry coconut. It’s that easy. Coconuts float and can travel for many miles in the sea before washing ashore on a distant land only to sprout and take root and grow into a mature tree to start the cycle all over again. 

What you may or may not know is that there are different kinds of coconuts - some have sweeter water, some don’t give much jelly (or “meat” as we call it), some have small coconuts, some have yellow coconuts, and some have giant-sized nuts that give a jug full of water from one nut. Nowadays there are dwarf trees that are literally about six feet tall, making it really easy to harvest the nuts, and some grow very tall, requiring an agile individual to climb the tree with cutlass (machette) in hand to cut down the bunches of ripe nuts.

The outer husk of a dry coconut is very fibrous, but a skilled person can have it split open and the nut revealed in minutes. The same applies to removing the top of a green coconut to access the fresh water inside - a few strategically placed chops with a sharp cutlass and you can drink straight from the nut in minutes. Once the coconut has dried, there is usually a little water inside, but most of it has dried to become the hard white flesh that is grated for use in baking.

Coconut water is full of health benefits and is consumed liberally (sometimes with some gin thrown in) by young and old alike. The dry coconut is used in baking and cooking, and the coconut milk is a crucial ingredient in cocktails and in cooking.

Do not ever make the mistake of sitting under a coconut tree or parking your car under one, because if a nut falls it will do serious damage to your vehicle and your head - many a coconut has shattered a car windscreen. Trees that are found alongside more popular beaches are usually kept fairly clean of mature nuts and dying branches, but less frequented beaches do not get that kind of treatment, so have a look up at the tree before you decide to settle under it. Even a branch dropping off would cause serious damage.