ABSTRACT
The scienti…c name for coconut is Cocos nucifera. It is called coco, meaning “monkey face,” by early Spanish explorers, as the three notches on the hairy nut resemble the head and face of a monkey. Nucifera means “nut-bearing.” The native habitat of coconuts is not known, but they can traditionally be found in Asia’s coastal regions and the Paci…c Islands within 20° north and south latitudes. Ideally, coconuts grow in regions where the temperatures are between 75°F and 85°F and not less than 68°F. They require rainfall of 60 to 80 inches per year (O’Brien 2004).
