Week 9 March 9-15 Bucerias About the Coconut Tree

Did you know that the word “coconut” is derived from the Portuguese and Spanish term “Cocos”, meaning “ginning face”. Take a look next time you get a coconut and observe the three small holes on the coconut shell that resemble human facial features. The coconut is delicious. When green the milk is delicious, but when ripe it is the nut “meat” that is used for cooking or eaten raw. Without a machete the nut husk is difficult to crack, but it can be done – with a large screw driver puncture the skin and pry a small piece and continue to do this for the entire husk. Take the seed and smash it against the concrete to crack the shell, and then scoop out the meat with a sharp knife.

The coconut tree is a large palm growing up to 30 meters tall and the tree can yield about 75 fruits per year. As the tree grows, old leaves break away, leaving the trunk smooth. The tree is a natural resting spot for birds, but also for iguanas, which is the case at Vista Bahia. An iguana is seen climbing the tree on a regular basis.

The coconut tree creates a beautiful setting that is photographed by many tourists. The tree is seen in the background of many family photos and is especially beautiful during sunsets. However the tree can be dangerous as the nuts can fall without warning, hence many resorts and property owners have the nuts removed to avoid damage to property. This is the problem at Vista Bahia, when the nuts fall on the palapa roof and break the tiles. Therefore the gardeners come to prune the tree, which is interesting to watch. The gardener, who is barefoot, climbs the tree like a monkey and while perched at the top cuts away the nuts and older leaves. There is no safety harness, but the gardener seems to be agile and able to easily maneuver amoungst the branches. What was interesting about the visit to Vista Bahia was the surprise of the gardener when the iguana jumped from the top of the tree to the palapa roof. The iguana survived, but two more tiles where broken.

Check out Picasa Week 9 photos Coconut Tree (CTRL+Link to open in a new tab)