Plant Profile
Cocos nucifera
Niu, Ololani
Main Plant Information
Genus
Cocos
Species
nucifera
Hawaiian Names with Diacritics
- Niu
- Ololani
Hawaiian Names
- Niu
- Ololani
Common Names
- Coconut
Plant Characteristics
Distribution Status
Indigenous
Plant Form / Growth Habit
- Tree
Mature Size, Height (in feet)
- Tree, Small, 15 to 30
- Tree, Medium, 30 to 50
- Tree, Large, Greater than 50
Life Span
Long lived (Greater than 5 years)
Landscape Uses
- Container
- Erosion Control
- Provides Shade
- Screening
Plant Produces Flowers
Yes
Flower Characteristics
Leaf Characteristics
Plant texture
- Coarse
Additional Plant Texture Information
Large fronds recognizable to most.
Leaf Colors
- Dark Green
- Medium Green
Pests and Diseases
Growth Requirements
Pruning Information
Lower fronds or leaves may need trimming to maintain a clean landscape appearance.
Water Requirements
- Dry
Soil must be well drained
Yes
Light Conditions
- Full sun
Tolerances
- Drought
- Brackish Water
- Wind
- Salt Spray
- Foot Traffic
- Heat
Soils
- Sand
- Cinder
- Organic
- Coral
Environmental Information
Natural Range
- Oʻahu
- Northwest Islands
Natural Zones (Elevation in feet, Rainfall in inches)
- Less than 150, 0 to 50 (Dry)
Habitat
- Terrestrial
Additional Habitat Information
The coconut or niu is perhaps the most well recognized and common palm in Hawaii today. Niu was also brought over by the early Polynesian settlers.
However, niu has so far been found from pre-human contact pollen samples as naturally occurring only on Laysan (Kauō) and Oʻahu, but was likely found on all or most of the Hawaiian Archipelago. Therefore, the “Natural Range” includes these two indigenous locations at this time.
Pollen core samples also indicate that another palm species was native to the the Hawaiian Islands too. Coconut or niu ( Cocos nucifera ) has been found as a compotent in pollen samples on Laysan and Oahu at Barber’s Point and perhaps should be consisdered as an indigenous species. – D.Eickhoff, NPH
