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Coconuts

    Coconut is a common name for the fruit of a tree of the palm family. Its scientific name is Cocos nucifera. People usually call the tree coconut palm. Coconut palm trees grow well in tropical countries. They grow especially in sandy soil.

    The trees can grow up to 30 m high. They have a single cylindrical trunk. At the top of the trunk, there is a crown of leaves. The leaves are long, about 3 to 4.5 m long.

    The fruit grows in clusters. In one cluster, there are about 5-20 coconuts. The fruit is oval and about 30 cm long. It has a thick husk and a hard shell. Inside the shell there is white oily flesh. Inside the shell, there is also a sweet fluid.

    Coconut is high in sugar. It also contains a lot of fat, protein, and vitamins. The young coconut water can be a very refreshing drink which contains a lot of minerals.

    Coconut palms are very useful plants. People can use every single inch of the tree. They dry the coconut meat into copra. After that, they can get oil from it and use it for daily cooking or make it into soap or candles. People also use the trunks to build houses. For the roof, they dry the leaves. People can also make rope and doormats from the coconut's husk.

    Coconuts are usually propagated by seeds, but experts have been trying to clone coconuts or propagate them by tissue culture.

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What is the coconut like?