Tree of Life Info???

Our local florist has just go some interesting looking plants in labeled simply as 'Tree of Life'; the back of the label describes them as being from the rainforests and the mature tree is used in many ways, as food, its wood for building things etc, hence Tree of Life. But there are no cultivation details.....

They are about 12-18" tall and growing from a huge seed on the surface of the compost that looks like a smooth light brown coconut, the leaves are tough, dark green and glossy and look like young palm tree leaves but they come from the stem rather than the base.

They're sold in rustic wooden buckets and look really good for £5 but if they're going to need really warm humid conditions to do well I may have to resist..

Any ideas or info anyone

 

I saw these for sale at the plant market in Amsterdam when I was there a few weeks ago.

But can't remember the name.

 

does it look like this?

as all the asian religions are bonded to a tree , it called mesquite tree ...if It`s the one .

 

Hi Michael, not sure but it could be the Banyan tree ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banyan

 

On second thoughts, I think you may be talking about the Coconut Palm which are sold as houseplants ... Cocos nucifera ...

http://www.google.pt/search?hl=pt-PT&rlz=1C1AFAB_enPT444PT446&q=Coconut Palm houseplant&biw=1280&bih=677&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=bB0YUNfHEK6jiAeBnYCwBA#um=1&hl=pt-PT&rlz=1C1AFAB_enPT444PT446&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=Cocos nucifera&oq=Cocos nucifera&gs_l=img.3..0j0i24l2.5172.7749.0.7961.14.9.0.5.5.1.501.2373.0j1j3j0j1j2.7.0...0.0...1c.6MM9TOntCcg&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=9c3dc5dd7e4fb015&biw=1280&bih=641

We had one here last year and lost it outside.

 

Thanks for the replies; Vicky that's the one without a doubt; the Coconut Palm

Just had a look and found some info that says they need plenty of light and a minimum of 27 degrees to be truely happy, could probably get away with them through the summer but we'd have no chance in the winter. Think I'll be leaving them, especially as we have no conservatory..

 

Agree with you Michael, forget about it as you have nowhere to put it in the winter. Sad, they are very attractive. Our friends here also tried one outside under cover without luck. However, I have a friend in the Dominican Republic who has them growing in her garden and she uproots the 'babies' which fall off the trees and root themselves and takes them to the beach and plants them there ... how sweet is that?

 

Thanks Victoria and Bilbo. You have answered my question also. They are currently on sale at Morrisons for £10. If they could have been overwintered - I might have been interested.

What a shame.

 

Victoria , in south Italy we have a mini coconut palm that actually grow mini coconut and can actually take a bit of frost , my friend back there is actually growing them , along with some hardy cane palm (-3 when old).

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That description does not sound like the coconuts I've seen for sale.
The large smooth seed yes, but they dont have any stem, just fronds coming from the seed.
Not sure coconut is actually a rainforest plant either.

Sal, is that not a date palm?

 

Hi Pete, I perhaps should have described the leaves a little better, the lower ones come from the base and then the newer ones looked like they were coming from a developing stem which I suppose essentially could be longer 'leaf' stems?? I'll have another look when I pass again

I found this website for Coconut Palms and it calls them 'Tree of Life';

http://www.kew.org/plant-cultures/plants/coconut_landing.html

http://www.kew.org/plant-cultures/plants/coconut_grow_it.html

This is a picture I found on the internet that shows more or less what they were, the ones in the florist were slightly taller..

 

Pete,
I agree with you. I saw somethng similar and definately not a palm.
Wish I had taken a photo now.

 

Sorry Pete no a great picture I know.
Microcoelum weddellianum

it called miniature coconut and can actually take -4

Bilbo , really you`ve never seen a coconut from homebase ?

 

Ok, I do sort of have a poor photo.
Front trays, 2nd from the left. Can't make out the writing clearly though.

 

Hi Sal, I've not seen a Coconut Palm sold in anywhere I've been before but then that's probably because they're grouped with house/conservatory plants which I usually just walk past....they're probably in every respectable garden centre in Britain We don't have a local Homebase or B&Q so don't get to see what plants they sell..