Underpotted sprouting coconuts sold as houseplants were all the rage 6 or 7 years ago. Photo: gardengoodsdirect.com
Back in 2014, I wrote a blog which I entitled Possibly the World’s Worst Houseplant, in which I suggested the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) might just be the worst houseplant ever. It was, at the time, being sold as an easy-to-grow houseplant in the form of a sprouted coconut with a few grasslike juvenile leaves.

My experience is that such plants inevitably fail fairly quickly, unable to thrive under the poor light, insufficient heat, dry air and subsequent spider mite infestation (spider mites, Tetranychus urticae, come out in droves on palms grown in dry air) that occurs in the average home. Besides, who has the room for a plant with 13 foot (4 meter) fronds? Even botanical gardens fail with this species in their tropical greenhouses. What hope could such a plant possibly have in the average home?

Well, wouldn’t you know someone would prove me wrong? Damien Lekatis, of Montreal, recently sent me a picture of his 7-year-old coconut palm, repotted into a large pot, obviously doing very well, with fronds even starting to split and look palmlike.
Daniel attributes his success to watering with aquarium water, then adds. “I think that the constant movement caused by the ceiling fan (it’s on all the time) and the humid heat from the old-school radiators are helpful. Electric radiators would probably dry it out.” He lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada where “our winters are crazy brutal and last about 5 months. Summers are humid and hot.”
I’d like to add the huge sunny window likely didn’t hurt, either, nor did removing it from the confinement of a small pot and replanting it into large tub!

Do note the palm has remained in its juvenile form. The original coconut is still visible at the base and the fronds, which start out simple on a sprouting coconut and should be fully pinnate at seven years, are just transitioning to that form. Plus, there is no visible stipe (trunk) while a coconut palm of age of 7 years growing on a sunny tropical beach would normally have a thick stipe some 6 feet (2 m) high and would likely be producing a few coconuts.
So, Damien, you have proved me wrong. But I still don’t think that coconut palms make good houseplants. Damien has been very lucky and proven himself very skillful!
The period when sprouted coconuts in pots were being sold cheaply everywhere seems to be over. If you want to try Daniel’s method without breaking the bank, you might have to obtain a still-husked coconut and sprout it yourself.
Update of my Cocos Nucifera growing in The Netherlands:
https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/59398-cocos-nucifera-indoor-winter-experiments/?do=findComment&comment=1134755
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The coconut palm craze has come to Finland & Scandinavia, thanks to Ikea. I saw the trees with 2 leaves a few months ago and now they have a few more leaves. Ikea cut the price to 18 euros, so I’m going to pick one up and test my plant growing skills. Most of my jungle are easy-keepers except the picky Calathea. I’ve even got an Ostrich fern and a smaller palm-shaped fern that I dug up from the forest. The ferns are very sensitive and require extra care, but they are worth the effort.
The other thing Ikea did was offer mini pineapple plants that were past the flowering stage. This meant people who bought it found their mini pineapple ripening after a few weeks and their cute plant just a bunch of leaves (albeit nice leaves). Of course, if you can find suckers in the stem, you can grow another plant, but a lot of people don’t know that I thought it was tacky of Ikea not to provide detailed information so people who bought the plant wouldn’t be disappointed if they were wanting something more than a summer conversation piece.
Happy to report that Coco is doing well. Had a rough move and one of the branches broke during the move but it survived and thrived, even in my new loft . It doesn’t get as much direct sunlight or for as long but I’m thinking it’s adapting.
Here are some updated pics I took this past winter.
I have plenty of plants growing out of my aquarium filters. All thriving and doing very well. I personally think that the tannins and bacteria from a properly cycled aquarium are definitely a plus. I have a 120 gallon discus & planted aquarium. Run a UV sterilizer . so the water doesn’t have any harmful bacteria or parastes.
Thanks
Damien
https://pin.it/1fc3SmT
https://pin.it/15SrObz
Looks wonderful! ?
I’m curious to know what happened to his plant after he moved. Do we have a follow up?
Being from a beachy city in the tropics and living in Europe, I got a little pang of homesickness when I saw one in the garden centre, leading to an impulse buy. Looking up care instructions post purchase got me quite worried, but these stories have given me hope. It’s spent the few days since being bought out in the garden in full sun and inside for the evening. It will be reported once acclimatised and hopefully I’ll be able to provide it enough light and warmth over winter. Any thoughts on the aquarium water, though? We do have a fish tank but I worry about introducing harmful bacteria.
Aquarium water is an interesting source of minerals, but not really a factor of major importance. No, I have no followup.
I’ve got one too. 2 years old. The Netherlands.
I could not show you pictures in this post, but here is the link with my pictures:
https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/59398-cocos-nucifera-indoor-winter-experiments/&do=findComment&comment=962825
Amazing photos and amazing plant! It almost makes me want to try again.
I have an almost 2 year old coconut growing indoors year round in the Netherlands too. It’s a slow grower for sure, but it’s pushing new fronds even right now in January. It’s in a 80% inorganic mix and I’m also watering with aquarium water/demineralized water, once a week to once every two weeks. It’s one of the easier plants to grow, once you get a feel for it.
Gads! These are still available. They sometimes get planted outside here. Even in our mild climate, the winters are too cool for them.