When do tropical coconuts ripen and hit the market, and how do you cleverly crack one open?

Friends who have been to Hainan, Taiwan, China and Guangdong are surely no strangers to tall coconut palms and sweet, juicy coconuts. But do you know when they generally ripen and hit the market? And are there any clever ways to open them?

1. Basic facts about coconuts

1. Where coconuts come from

The coconut, also called the coco coconut, is a tall, tree-like tropical woody oil crop. It originated in Southeast Asia, Indonesia and the Pacific Islands, and is currently distributed mainly across Asia, Africa and Latin America between 23°S and 23°N, with the most found in coastal areas near the equator. The main producing areas are the Philippines, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and other countries. In China, it is cultivated in the southern islands of Guangdong, the Leizhou Peninsula, Hainan, Taiwan, China and the tropical areas of southern Yunnan.

2. The value of coconuts

The flesh and juice inside a coconut contain large amounts of protein, fructose, glucose and vitamins, and have the effects of tonifying the spleen and kidneys, promoting urination and reducing swelling, clearing summer heat and quenching thirst, and eliminating malnutrition and expelling parasites. When used as medicine, the coconut can also treat insufficient body fluids, ringworm and syphilitic sores, and so on. In addition, the coconut has very high comprehensive utilization value: coconut flesh can be pressed for oil, eaten raw, used in cooking, made into milk, biscuits and candy, and so on; coconut water can be made into beverages; coconut fiber can be made into carpets, brushes and so on; and coconut palms can also beautify the environment and be used as building materials, and so on. It can be said to be treasure from head to toe.

3. Coconut classification

There are two types of coconut, the tall type and the dwarf type. The former is the most widely planted commercial coconut in the world, generally starting to bear fruit after seven or eight years, with an economic life of 70-80 years; the latter generally starts bearing fruit after 3-4 years, but its oil content is lower than that of the tall type, and its economic life is only 30-40 years.

2. When do coconuts generally ripen and hit the market?

For friends who love eating coconuts, being able to eat coconuts that are in season is the best, so the time when coconuts ripen and hit the market is something you need to understand clearly.

1. Young coconut palms put out fewer flower buds than mature trees. Generally, May and June are when the most buds are put out during the year, while November and December are when the fewest are, and it takes one year from fertilization to fruit formation.

2. As a tropical light-loving crop, coconut palms can flower and bear fruit all year round under conditions of high temperature, abundant rain, ample sunlight and sea breezes. In Hainan, although coconuts are available all year round, those from July and August each year are the most delicious, so friends who love coconuts or who can go to Hainan in July or August should not miss out.

3. What clever ways are there to open a coconut?

Sweet and juicy coconuts are not so easy to eat, as the hard shell takes some effort, so the editor of Xiao Mian Tu Liu Wang will teach everyone clever ways to open a coconut. Friends who are interested can give them a try.

1. Drilling a hole in the coconut: Place the coconut on a firm, unbreakable surface, then find a soft eye on it (or chisel one with a nail and hammer) and insert a sharp object such as an awl, after which you can drink directly with a straw or pour out the water for cooking.

2. Tapping the coconut: There is generally a center line on the coconut. Rotate and tap the coconut along the center line to open it. Be careful when tapping so you do not hit your own hand.

3. Baking the coconut: After drinking the coconut water, you can place it in an oven at 180 degrees for about 15min, which can separate the flesh from the shell. Remember not to put a coconut that still contains juice into the oven, otherwise it can easily explode.

The above is an introduction to the coconut market season and ways to open coconuts. Friends who love coconuts should not miss the best months to eat them.