In the wild, ripe coconuts fall from trees and grow where they land. Coconut palm trees are planted commercially in tropical lowlands. The most commonly grown 'nut' is actually a drupe with oval seeds, a fibrous husk (green or yellow initially then brown at maturity), and the hard shell.

Where do coconuts grow naturally?

Today, coconut palms grow throughout the tropics in a band around the world 25 degrees north and 25 degrees south of the equator. The tree can be found in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, India, Australia, the Pacific Islands, South America, Africa, the Caribbean, and the southern extremes of North America.

How long does it take for a coconut tree to produce coconuts?

When grown from seed, you can expect your coconut palm to start producing fruit in 6–10 years, but it won't reach peak production until about 15–20 years after planting.