Shade cast by dwarf coconut?

[TheVeggieProfessor]

Hi all. I'd like to plant some dwarf fijis on my property, but I only have so much space. I have a spot where I could put one that is just south of my pickering mango and black sapote. 10 feet south east of the pickering and 10 feet south west of the black sapote. Would this cast too much shade on my fruit trees? It seems to me that palms let a lot of light in. I could probably put it more to the south if needed. Thanks for your input.

[irun5k]

I don't think you'll have a problem with light.   Crowding might be an issue however based on the spread of both trees?  10 feet apart doesn't seem like much space when you consider what an mature canopy is going to look like.  Of course eventually the coconuts will tower above the fruit trees but that could be decades from now.

[Julie]

I have the dwarf fiji coconut and I've seen the full grown trees at Muni farms.  They are very big and wide compared to other coconuts.  I planted mine in a full spot with about 15 ft spacing.  On the other hand, I have other dwarf coconuts that I've planted in between fruit trees.  I would consider a dwarf Malayan or similar.  My trees are still small, but at least that's what I learned when planting all of them (I have 7 baby coconut palms)

[Julie]

If you have your heart set on fiji dwarf, you could plant it and also plant another dwarf type somewhere else on your property.  I've planted 27 trees in my yard and I know that in many years I may have to remove some trees, but I'd rather try and get fruit for many years even if I have to remove it down the line.

[bulldawg305]

They have both the dwarf fiji and dwarf Malayan at the F&S park. Julie is right, the dwarf fiji have a wider trunk and large fronds with minimal spacing in between. If you plant a small one it probably won't be and issue for several years but I guess it depends on how tall you are planning to let the trees in the back get.

[TheVeggieProfessor]

I ended up planting the dwarf fiji off by itself to the south of my pool (where it won't shade other fruit trees). But I have ambitions for more coconuts, especially varieties that grow slowly. I can source spicatas, which are slow growers and fruit at a small size. Can anyone speak to the shade cast by these plants? Do they let light enough light in to grow fruit trees in the understory, or too dense for that?

[Julie]

I have the dwarf red spicata but it's small.  Pictures I've seen show it as skinnier than the fiji dwarf.  I'd feel more comfortable planting it in-between trees or closer to the fence.

[TheVeggieProfessor]

I have the dwarf red spicata but it's small.  Pictures I've seen show it as skinnier than the fiji dwarf.  I'd feel more comfortable planting it in-between trees or closer to the fence.

Thank you Julie.

[Jackson]

Julie, Veggie Professor - would you mind sharing where you get your coconut trees from? Also, the names of the different varieties you have?
Thanks!

[TheVeggieProfessor]

Julie, Veggie Professor - would you mind sharing where you get your coconut trees from? Also, the names of the different varieties you have?
Thanks!

https://www.peaceriverorganics.com/online-store/p/f78dbxh54blrnscjjl0mujgdbp5vlw?fbclid=IwAR2xu2-2GN3XqPYunJ69dHsjPQJPlBSOFK6pQx7pO6nuj7fN3r75CBQaLTg

[Julie]

I have some that were given to me as sprouts from people I know.  The ones I have of known varieties are the dwarf red spicata and fiji dwarf that I purchased from Muni Farms.  I also purchased a dwarf malayan from another nursery that the owner of Muni Farms recommended to me.  I'm having trouble remembering the name of that nursery, but if you ask the owner at Muni Farms he could tell you.  They have dwarf malayan coconuts with seed imported from Jamacia.