3.3K views A highly-cited “fact” states that deaths from falling coconuts greatly outnumbers deaths by shark attacks. Statistics Division. [45] He reportedly contracted a high fever, fell into delirium, and died within an hour. Harvest the ripe coconuts using a ladder and pole saw. It can be harvested every month from a coconut palm. Most commercially available coconut palms were bred to resist common diseases; however, many are still susceptible to a pathogenic illness called lethal yellowing disease. It doesn't take a great intellect or reasoning power to be able to laugh at a monkey running off with Gilligan's dinner or a guy getting conked on the head by a coconut. Assuming that the coconut is planted in an ideal condition, the average nuts per tree could be 100 per tree though the farmers at Pollachi (TN< INDIA) have an average of 150 per tree while farmers at Kerala have only 50 - 60 per tree. Is Coconut a Fruit, Nut, or Seed? The short answer is that a coconut could be all three – a nut, seed, … If the tree doesn't … In response to the dubious distinction, Barss told the Canadian Medical Association Journal, "when you're treating these injuries daily, it's not funny at all. By PCA’s calculation, with 100 trees per hectare, a plantation can generate a total of 7,730 nuts per year from trees planted inland to 20,540 nuts per year from trees planted within 3 kilometers from the sea. Scientists explain that replanting would increase output by 50 to 100 per cent within a few years with a mature palm producing as many as 400 nuts a year. Distribution, Origin and Cultivation of the Coconut Palm. I make sure never to sit under a coconut palm tree. Plant them well away from trafficked areas to prevent injury from the falling fruit, or install catch-nets beneath the canopy to catch any falling fruit. While a mature and thriving tree can yield up to 75 fruits per year, it is more common to get fewer than 30. The teacher claimed that the one who took the book would face "divine wrath" upon touching the coconut. This occurs every harvest cycle, which ranges between 45-60, or 75-90 days. Productivity per tree reduced drastically because of the diseases and pest. In May 2006, a man and a boy were killed by falling coconut palm trees during a tropical storm in the Philippines. Other occurrences involve coconuts being used as deadly weapons. [61] Actor Bob Denver explained the success of the series as follows: "Little kids seem to love it. The fruit takes one year to ripen, and each tree produces 50 to 200 fruit per year. This page was last edited on 19 December 2020, at 03:01. One newspaper dubbed coconuts "the killer fruit. A June 1965 episode revolved around an injury sustained by Gilligan after a falling coconut hit him in the nose. Posted on November 11, 2020 by. The production line manager at a margarine factory in Kyiv, Ukraine, drowned in a vat of coconut oil. In justifying the award, the city attorney explained that the city was allegedly on notice of the danger, because "a reasonable man would assume it was about to fall when it turns brown. The number of coconuts for hybrid coconut tree shall give 250 coconuts per tree per year leading to an annual production of 1 to 17,000 coconuts per acre. Given the proper care and growing conditions, coconut palms produce their first fruit in six to ten years, but take 15 to 20 years to reach peak production. Under optimal weather conditions, coconut tree can produce 75 fruits per year, but that happens extremely rare. SkittisH June 1, 2011 . [44] In an effort to determine who had taken a book from a classroom, an elementary school teacher at Harnahalli required each of his students to touch a coconut bearing a namam, a religious symbol. However, a rainfall of about 2000 mm per year, well distributed throughout, is ideal for proper growth and maximum production. Trees grown in proper conditions produce 50 coconuts or more annually and the tree flowers periodically throughout the year. Depending on the variety, unripe fruit is green or yellow and changes to brown when ripe and ready to harvest. Macadamia, a tropical/sub-tropical tree is grown in many areas of the world, but California has the lion's share of the market. Peak productive life is 5 to 45 years. Coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) grow best within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11 where they are cultivated as ornamental trees and for their edible fruit. Newspapers across the world reported that a schoolboy in India had been killed by a "magic" or "enchanted" coconut.
Coconut trees can be dwarf and tall. [67], In the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Rock-a-Bye Bivalve", Patrick Star is addicted to a show where nothing happens except a man gets hit in the head by a coconut. The gun discharged, and the man was shot in the abdomen. Older leaves will break away cleanly from the tree leaving a smooth trunk. None were fatal, but he mentioned two anecdotal reports of deaths, one several years before. A bunch of coconuts from each tree has five to 15 nuts. The most commonly cited figure is … Keep growing coconuts!. "[57], In 1977, a jury in Hawaii awarded $39,000 to a police officer who was struck by a falling coconut. "[14], Following the publication of Barss' study, exaggerated claims about the number of deaths by coconut began to spread. [8] A full-sized coconut weighs about 1.44 kg (3.2 lb). [13] In March 2012, Barss received an "Ig Nobel Award" from the Annals of Improbable Research in recognition of research that "cannot or should not be replicated." The fruit takes one year to ripen, and each tree produces 50 to 200 fruit per year. Coconut palms perform best when grown in full sun with moderately moist, fast-draining soil. 1 2 3. The kernel (copra, coco-water and shell) comprises 65 per cent of total weight, while the husk contributes 35 per cent. With live fencing (1,33,200-88740) 44,460.00 2. "[63] In the film Cast Away, the stranded character played by Tom Hanks is alarmed several times by loud thuds, which he cannot identify. Trees grown in proper conditions produce 50 coconuts or more annually and the tree flowers periodically throughout the year. [66], The video game Donkey Kong 3 has the antagonist Donkey Kong throwing coconuts from overhead at the player, trying to kill him. Coconuts can be responsible for nasty head injuries, as a study in The Journal of Trauma reveals", "Baby Dies After Being Hit by Falling Cluster of Coconuts", "Falling coconut tree kills 56-year-old boatman", https://www.thephuketnews.com/man-killed-by-coconut-tree-76921.php, "A Roar, Then Blackness: 'I Have Lost Everything, "First body flown in as mother tells of miracle", "Bob Denver & Co. Will Glow More Brightly This Season on 'Gilligan's Island, "Bob Denver, classic TV's Gilligan, dead at age 70", "Ken Lay Claims Amnesia After Coconut Fell on His Head", "Review: Donkey Kong 3 (Wii U eShop / NES)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Death_by_coconut&oldid=995080049, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles lacking reliable references from June 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. How long does it take for coconut palm tree seeds to grow into trees that produce coconuts? [12] That figure of two deaths went on to be misquoted as 150 worldwide, which was based on the assumption that other places would suffer a similar rate of falling coconut deaths. [59], On their 1995 CD Makin' A Mess, the writing/singing team of Bob Gibson and Shel Silverstein included a song on this subject, entitled "Killed by a Coconut", which humorously describes a series of men and their fatal encounters with coconuts.[60]. What Season Does the Coconut Tree Give Fruit? "[2][better source needed]. Death by coconut is usually dismissed as an urban legend, by people who live an urban lifestyle. Concerns about death by coconut have been reported extensively in mainstream media sources. These are moderately tolerant to major pests like scale insects, mites, mealy bugs, and rhinoceros beetles. It takes about a year for the coconuts to … [15] Another writer, Joel Best, described the claim of widespread deaths as a "journalistic equivalent of a contemporary legend. A well-maintained coconut palm can produce between 50 to 80 coconuts annually, according to Pacific Island Agroforestry. In some cases it is as low as 10 nuts per year. Economic And Social Department. The agro-climatic conditions for Coconut Plantation: The coconut palm is found to grow under varying climatic conditions. One student resisted, but was forced to touch the coconut. Tap coconut sugar in 4 years How to Care for Indoor Potted Majesty Palms, University of Florida IFAS Extension: The Coconut Palm In Florida. It can grow up to seventy five coconuts per year with the right conditions! [46], In May 1997, a report of death by coconut oil was published. Assuming that the coconut is planted in an ideal condition, the average nuts per tree could be 100 per tree though the farmers at Pollachi (TN. When I lived in the Northern Marianas Islands, there was a tradition of “cleaning” captured coconut crabs by keeping them in a pen for a couple of days. It depends on the kind of palm tree. The icing on the cake? Most coconut palms begin flowering around four to six years of age, producing a canoe-shaped sheath up to 3 feet long and filled with yellow flowers that produce the fruit. The police investigated to determine whether he fell or was pushed into the coconut oil.[47]. On fertile soil, a tall coconut palm tree can yield up to 75 fruits per year, but more often yields less than 30. [58], The American poet Frederick Seidel wrote a poem titled "Coconut", which included the following lines:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, A coconut can fall and hit you on the head,And if it falls from high enough can kind of knock you deadDead beneath the coconut palms, that's the life for me! Such reports include: A later 2001 study[27] over a five-year period found all skull fractures from falling fruit were in children under the age of ten.[27]. The fronds of affected trees turn yellow, and the entire tree eventually dies. They contain 64 percent of oil content, and they best grow in red loamy soils and well-drained deep sandy loam soils. These include: There have also been reports of deaths resulting from the collapse of coconut palm trees. Some do not have any fruit. INDIA A small grove will produce somewhere in the neighborhood of 20,000 hazelnuts per acre. average coconut yields: at year 1 – 15 kg/tree (1.85 t copra/ha); year 2 – 20 kg/tree (2.46 t copra/ha); years 3-5 with 25 kg copra/tree (3.08 t copra/ha). [68], In the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series, several robotic enemies stylized after monkeys throw coconuts at Sonic the Hedgehog from the trees as he runs past.[69][70]. Even though the numbers may be questionable, it is undoubtedly foolish to sleep or rest under a coconut tree. In six months, farmers can harvest green young coconuts from the middle level of the crown to get the best-tasting coconut … Such a low number of nuts are not even able tore turn back input cost. [3], Concern about the risk of fatality due to falling coconuts led local officials in Queensland, Australia, to remove coconut trees from beaches in 2002. To economise, farmers usually yield two to three bunches from each tree. The property owner was sued for failing to maintain the trees. In August 2011, a 56-year-old man was killed after an entire coconut tree toppled onto him while he was motorcycling in Kampung Baru Seberang Takir. Coconut trees can be harvested every 2-3 months. Many coconut palms experience significant nutrient deficiencies that may impact their ability to produce fruit. They’re hardy, need minimal to no care, and produce (on average) anywhere from 50-200 coconuts per tree, per year. [1], Following a 1984 study on "Injuries Due to Falling Coconuts", exaggerated claims spread concerning the number of deaths by falling coconuts. Samantha McMullen began writing professionally in 2001. Falling coconut injuries were featured in the American television series Gilligan's Island. Falling coconuts, according to urban legend, kill a few people a year. Answered October 29, 2018 Yield is a function of variety, climate, environment and management factors. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. A full-sized coconut weighs about 1.44 kg (3.2 lb). [11] In his paper, Barss observed that in Papua New Guinea (where he was based), over a period of four years, 2.5% of trauma admissions were for those injured by falling coconuts. Some farmers practise seasoning, in which the coconuts are placed on dry ground and left to mature for another three weeks to a month, so that it is easier to dehusk, deshell and pare the testa (skin) off from the seasoned coconuts. One tree may yield on average 70-100 nuts to a maximum of 150 nuts per year. Additionally, coconut palms may prove dangerous if the fruit is left to ripen and fall. ... 46 million are aging and need to be replaced at the rate of 1 million seedlings a year. In August 2020, a 37-year-old man died of severe head injuries after a coconut tree he was hired to help cut down fell on him. The only treatment is an antibiotic injection applied three times yearly by a certified arborist, which may prove costly over time. Retrieved 14 April 2011 from the FAOSTAT Database. Harvesting every 45-60 days interval (8-6 harvest rounds per year), with usually 1-2 harvestable bunches each tree) could be practical and more economic. Coconut palms continue fruiting for approximately 80 years. Rapidly germinating varieties (st ill on hanging bunches) should be harvested earlier. Occasional flooding does not hurt coconut palm roots, but consistently submerged soil will eventually kill the tree. Read on to learn more about coconut palms and how to harvest coconut on your tropical homestead. More often, coconut tree produces 30 fruits each year. Problems emerge, however, when one tries to get a handle on how many people die each year as a direct result of injuries sustained by falling coconuts. around 150 deaths are caused each year by falling coconuts. "[4] Historical reports of actual death by coconut nonetheless date back to the 1770s. Coconut palms occur naturally in the tropics, particularly in the southern Pacific Ocean. A hit causes a missed turn. Always water the fertilizer into the soil well after applying. "Travelers should watch out for coconuts – the killer fruit", "Are 150 people killed each year by falling coconuts? This coconut variety takes about 6 to 8 years of bearing time and yield about 70 nuts per year. ", "Coconuts and Palm Trees Are Hazards in Paradise", "Trees must go as Queensland guards against death by coconut", "Shark Quest' is the new lure at the Baltimore aquarium", "One word describes latest episode of Hurricane TV", "Sharks spotted off Chatham coast; but officials say threat is small", "Improbable research: mind your head! East Coast Tall Coconut. T. Pradeepkumar, B. Sumajyothibhaskar, and K.N. They are not tolerant to prolonged freezing or frosty temperatures. "[16] An analysis by the Shark Research Institute cites a press release from Club Travel, a U.K.-based travel insurance company, as helping to spread the urban legend. Cocos nucifera is a large palm, growing up to 30 m (100 ft) tall, with pinnate leaves 4–6 m (13–20 ft) long, and pinnae 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) long; old leaves break away cleanly, leaving the trunk smooth. The incident occurred in a roadside gully near Banana Beach, along the coastal road from Surin to Nai Thon, Thailand. (2008). In December 1923, a New Castle, Pennsylvania man was killed while trying to crack open a coconut with the butt end of a loaded revolver. [9] Coconut palms are cultivated in more than 80 countries of the world, with a total nut production of 61 million tonnes per year. Werth, E. (1933). In an attempt to market travel insurance to individuals traveling to Papua New Guinea, the release stated that coconuts were "ten times more dangerous than sharks". Little care or attention is required to successfully cultivate coconuts, however, they do need occasional pruning to remove old fronds and during summer, regular watering. Bourke, R. Michael and Tracy Harwood (Eds.).
CRIC 60. Reports of death by coconut became so widespread that The Straight Dope, a newspaper column devoted to exposing myths, reported that it had become an urban legend. It is essentially a tropical plant growing mostly between 20 o N 20 o S latitudes. Windy conditions do not harm the tree. INDIA) have an average of 150 per tree while farmers at … [64], When Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones underwent surgery and hospitalization for a brain injury in April 2006, some press reports erroneously blamed the injury on Richards' having been "conked by coconuts". These include: Other reports credit the strength of the coconut palm trees with saving the lives of persons who have been tied to the trees for safety during high wind or tsunami events.[54][55][56]. White, edible flesh of coconut can be consumed raw or dried. Coconut production remains crucial for the Asia-Pacific region, but coconut yields are dropping with aging as a top factor. The husk from a coconut became lodged in its intestine, and the whale beached itself on a sandbar at Siesta Key, Florida. One tree may yield on average 70-100 nuts to a maximum of 150 nuts per year. Ripe coconut has 3.2 pounds of weight. [7] While a mature and thriving tree can yield up to 75 fruits per year, it is more common to get fewer than 30. [10], The origin of the death by coconut legend was a 1984 research paper by Dr. Peter Barss, titled "Injuries Due to Falling Coconuts,: published in the Journal of Trauma (now known as the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery). This clearly shows that the CSA increased coconut yield (copra terms) by 25% and 50% [2][better source needed] This statistic has often been contrasted with the number of shark-caused deaths per year, which is around five. Besides the valuable contents of the nuts, the palm yields husks, shells, leaves and the stem which are used domestically as raw materials for many products from fuel to building materials. Some produce bananas (a banana palm), some coconuts (a coconut palm), some dates (a date palm), and many others. Income from coconut 5 nuts per bunch, 12 bunches per year in 80 tree Total number of nuts in 1 acre: (80 x 5 x 12) = 4800 nuts Rate of 1 nut =Rs.4 Income from nut = (4800 x 4 = 19,200) 19,200 . In areas where frosty temperatures periodically happen, plant coconut palms in a sheltered area against a south-facing wall to minimize cold damage. Soil pH is not an issue, nor is soil salinity. Older leaves will break away cleanly from the tree leaving a smooth trunk. They are widely used as landscape trees within their native range, and in other locations with a comparably moist, humid climate. A coconut require 13 months to harvest. [44][45], In April 1983, a coconut was cited as the cause of death for a female goose-beaked whale. According to the University of Florida, coconut palms withstand cold temperatures better when properly fertilized. The fertilizer should be spread evenly in the area directly beneath the tree's canopy and not butting against the trunk. Income from Intercropping and coconut = 114000+19200 1,33,200 1. Following shark sightings off the Massachusetts coast, In 1833, four people died from falling coconuts on the island of, In January 1943, a U.S. Marine was killed in his sleep when struck in the head by a falling coconut near, On 26 August 1952, a seven-month-old baby died when she was struck in the head by a coconut while being held by her mother in, In July 1973, a two-year-old girl was killed, and her aunt injured, during a family picnic at Kapiolani Beach Center near, In November 1991, a mourner was killed by a falling coconut while attending a funeral at a cemetery in southern, On 15 August 2001, in Kampung Tanjung Badang, Malaysia, Mamat Kundur, age 59, was killed when a monkey used to harvest coconuts from trees dropped a coconut on his head, On 22 September 2003, in Raub, Pahang, Malaysia, Deraman Ghomat, 65, was waiting to catch a bus, the wind became stronger and it started to rain just before a coconut fell, In March 2009, 48-year-old Luelit Janchoom, in, In May 2010, a one-and-a-half-month-old girl was killed when a falling coconut struck her in the head during a religious ceremony outside the family's home in, In August 2010, a 69-year-old man was killed by a coconut that fell out of a 12-meter (39 ft) palm tree as he sat in a rocking chair outside his home in, In 1944, reports were published that Japanese troops were using "coconut bombs" in defending against the American invasion of, In April 1992, an 81-year-old man was killed in. Documented instances of death by coconut include the following: While the typical form of death by coconut is by trauma resulting from a coconut falling from a tree under the force of gravity, variations on the phenomenon have also been reported. Given proper care and growing conditions, coconut palms produce their first fruit in six to ten years, taking 15 to 20 years to reach peak production. It’s important that branches are trained properly to get the most out of the trees. Food And Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. references & resources University of Florida IFAS Extension: Coconut Palm This is like a bonus for the farmers.”. "[62] When Denver died, the show's creator Sherwood Schwartz said that Denver didn't get enough credit for his talent as a slapstick actor: "A lot of people don't think it's hard to be an actor where all you have to do is react to a falling coconut. Regular feedings with palm formula fertilizer will help stave off any significant nutrient deficiencies without causing the tree any damage. Satheesan. Only remove fronds that are completely brown and dead. His body was discovered soon after he was reported as missing. The tree grows best and has the best production of fruit with minimum temperatures of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. You may be interested in Growing Lavender, Planting, Care, Harvesting. It takes about a year for the coconuts to fully ripen. In March 2006, Newsweek ran a satirical article on former Enron CEO Kenneth Lay, stating he testified that he had sustained amnesia after being struck in the head by a falling coconut and, as a result of the injury, was unable to recall the events that occurred during his time at Enron. You can process the fruit to make oil, coconut milk, or other products without any special equipment whatsoever. Tree Care; how many coconut trees per hectare. Sponsored Links Classic Urban Legend While it is a fact that people have been occasionally killed by falling coconuts, the number of people killed per year – often cited as 150 – is the basis of a modern urban legend which is revived every year during Discovery Channel’s […] Apply the fertilizer every three months at a rate of 1.5 pounds for every 100 square feet. Coconut should be plucked at every 45-60 day generally but because of unavailability of climbers harvesting is possible only after six months. The kernel (copra, coco-water and shell) comprises 65 per cent of total weight, while the husk contributes 35 per cent. var addy63169 = 'cpcri' + '@'; The trees yield around 250 tender coconuts per tree / year and I have got approx. [65] Falling coconuts had not caused the injury as Richards had climbed a dead tree (not a coconut palm) and had then fallen from the tree. This legend gained momentum after the 2002 work of a noted expert on shark attacks was characterized as saying that falling coconuts kill 150 people each year worldwide. That’s all folks about the cultivation of hybrid coconut and planting methods. [5], Coconut fruit come from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) which can grow up to 30 m (98 ft) tall, with pinnate leaf 4–6 m (13–20 ft) long, and pinnae 60–90 cm long. (2 September 2010). He finally sees a coconut fall, making the sound. I read that coconuts kill more Sri Lankans each year than snakes. A coconut palm tree takes five or six years to reach maturity and start producing coconuts. In 1956, the City of Miami paid $300 to a woman after a coconut fell from a city-owned tree and struck her in the foot. Temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit can kill or injure the tree and the tree can suffer damage when temperatures range around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. [43], One of the most unusual variations occurred in India in the 1930s. The officer was hit in the head while removing fronds from a public sidewalk in Lahaina. If it had hit one he would have been a gonner. Coconut palms are cultivated in more than 80 countries of the world, with a total nut production of 61 million tonnes pe… (2009). Deaths and injuries resulting from falling coconuts have been the subject of several legal proceedings that have been covered in the media. Coconut fruit come from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) which can grow up to 30 m (98 ft) tall, with pinnate leaf 4–6 m (13–20 ft) long, and pinnae 60–90 cm long. [13] In May 2002, the legend gained new momentum when George H. Burgess, director of the International Shark Attack File, claimed that "[f]alling coconuts kill 150 people worldwide each year. Which are giving an average of 200 nuts or more per year for the small farms like mine. You can gain a yield of 40 nuts per tree per year with traditional farming methods, you can plant 70 coconut trees per acre at 25feet X 25feet spacing, Drip irrigation can be employed at a distance of 2meters/ 6.5 feets from root of each tree and same location should be used for fertilizers this is to avoid fungal issues due to moisture you need to add a lot of fertilizer and salt for good yield my yield … Her nearly 20 years of experience in horticulture informs her work, which has appeared in publications such as Mother Earth News. Its predominant lauric acid has an antimicrobial ability that can overwhelm a wide range of viruses, bacteria and fungi in the body. Coconuts falling from their tree and striking individuals can cause serious injury to the back, neck, shoulders and head; and are occasionally fatal. I once saw one fall to the ground in Galle, in the centre of 3 guys having a chat.