by johnah on January 7, 2021
When are Coconuts Ripe? Do Coconuts Ripen Off The Tree?
Coconut trees ripen after they have been picked. The fruit is ready to eat only after it has fully ripened off the tree. A few days before its full maturity, the fruit will start falling from the tree, which means that you cannot eat it until then. You may wait for several weeks or even months but not longer than two years.
The reason why you cannot eat a ripe coconut right away is because the flesh inside the shell contains seeds. If these seeds fall out during your waiting period, they will not germinate and you won’t get any benefit from them. So if you want to enjoy a fresh coconut with no risk of getting spoiled, it’s better to pick it before its full maturity time.
If you’re interested in learning more about when are coconuts ripen off the tree, read our article How Long Does Coconut Last On Trees?
Can You Pick Coconuts In Florida?
The answer to this question is yes and no. There are two major types of coconuts: the ones that grow on tall trees on the beach and the ones that grow on dwarf trees.
Beach coconuts can definitely be picked in this state. They may be easier to find in some islands in the Pacific Ocean, but you can also find them on the coasts of California, Texas, and other southern states. Of course, you need to be careful when trying to pick one.
It’s important that you pick a green one before it falls off the tree.
dwarf coconuts are different from beach coconuts because they grow on smaller trees on land. You may find some in southern states such as Georgia or the Carolinas. It’s important to wait until the fruit is ripe before you try to pick it.
Otherwise, it will fall down from its tree when you try to grab it, and you won’t get any benefits from it. You can recognize a ripe dwarf coconut by its dark brown shell.
Can You Pick Coconuts In Hawaii?
Yes, you can pick coconuts in Hawaii. However, you need to keep in mind that it isn’t legal to pick them everywhere in the state. You may be able to find dwarf trees on the neighbor islands of Kauai and Oahu. You may also be able to find them on the shores of French Polynesia as well as other islands that are part of this chain. The best place to go is likely Hilo or Kona.
Coconuts may or may not ripen depending on their location. This is why it can be very difficult to guess if a particular coconut is ready for you to pick. When you’re looking at a green one, you can’t be sure if it will fall off the tree the next day or if it will stay up there for months.
If you find one that is already ripe and falls down when you shake it, then you need to try it right away. Otherwise, you may have to wait at least a couple of months for its full ripeness.
Can You Pick Coconuts In Oregon?
There are two types of coconuts in Oregon. The first grows on the coasts especially in southern and central areas. The other is found in the state’s mountains and canyons. You may even be able to find a few dwarf trees here and there, but you need to keep in mind that these are very rare. If you do find one, you need to check its fruit right away.
While you may be able to find a ripe coconut in the mountains of Oregon, they may be rarer than trees found on other parts of the state. You should always try to pick a green one before it falls off its tree.
How To Pick A Coconut?
Picking a coconut is not as easy as it might sound. While it isn’t illegal to pick one in many states including Arizona, California, and Hawaii, you need to be careful when doing it. If you choose the wrong time of year or try to shake one that isn’t ripe yet, you could end up hurting yourself. Here’s what you should do:
Step 1: Find A Coconut Tree
Coconuts are only on certain trees. You can’t find them on maple trees or other types of vegetation. The trees that have these nuts are very tall and have long leaves.
These trees are also usually near the coast, so you may have to look around if you’re in the middle of a desert.
Step 2: Check The Tree For Ripeness
As we mentioned above, coconuts don’t ripen on the tree. Instead, they fall off and start to sprout after a few weeks on the ground.
How do you tell which ones are ripe before they fall off?
You can look for a few different signs.
Check the ground around the tree. You should see a few green coconuts lying around.
Look up at the tree. You may see some nuts that are a lighter color than the others. These will be the ones that are ripe and ready to pick.
Step 3: Climb The Tree
Coconuts don’t grow as high up as you might think. You should be able to easily reach the lower ones if you’re of average height and they aren’t too far out on a limb. If you are shorter than average, then you may need a step stool or chair to help you reach the lower ones on the tree.
Step 4: Pick The Coconut
This is the easy part.
Sources & references used in this article:
Cocos nucifera (coconut) by E Chan, CR Elevitch – Species profiles for Pacific …, 2006 – doc-developpement-durable.org
Germination and taxonomy of the coconut by HC Harries – Annals of Botany, 1981 – academic.oup.com
Physical properties of fresh young Thai coconut for maturity sorting by A Terdwongworakul, S Chaiyapong, B Jarimopas… – Biosystems …, 2009 – Elsevier
Coconut water uses, composition and properties: a review by A Prades, M Dornier, N Diop, JP Pain – Fruits, 2012 – cambridge.org
Coconut palm products: Their processing in developing countries by BE Grimwood, F Ashman – 1975 – books.google.com
The implementation and effect of sasi on coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) harvest products in southern Buru, Indonesia by E Tuhumuri, RP Sancayaningsih, B Setiaji, S Usman – OCL, 2020 – ocl-journal.org
The problem of the coconut mite, Eriophyes guerreronis (Keifer), in the coconut groves of Trinidad and Tobago by R Griffith – 1984 – ageconsearch.umn.edu
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