It is one of the most important crops of the tropics. A hard shell encloses the insignificant embryo with its abundant endosperm, composed of both meat and liquid. Marco Polo was among the first Europeans to describe coconuts. Coconut palms flourish best close to the sea on low-lying areas a few feet above high water where there is circulating groundwater and an ample rainfall. Most of the world's coconuts are produced on small native plantations.
Propagation is by unhusked ripe nuts.
These are laid on their sides close together in nursery beds and almost covered with soil. Full bearing is obtained in 15 years. Yields continue profitably until trees are about 50 years old. The harvested coconut yields copra, the dried extracted kernel, or meat, from which coconut oil, the world's ranking vegetable oil, is expressed. The Philippines and Indonesia lead in copra production, and throughout the South Pacific copra is one of the most important export products.