Introduce types of coconut in Vietnam and characteristics of each type.

Coconut is a tree belonging to the Arecaceae family, one of the most popular plants in tropical regions, especially in Southeast Asian countries. Coconut has many uses, from fruit, water, coconut meat to leaves, shell, wood.

1. Green Coconut

2. Dwarf coconut

Dwarf coconut, also known as chu coconut, is a coconut variety that has existed for a long time but has only recently been named to distinguish it from green coconut, pineapple coconut… The fruit is lighter green than green coconut and is slightly green. Dwarf coconut has 2 spathes, the fruit shell is very thin so it produces a lot of water. This coconut variety in particular produces more fruit than green coconut, on average each bunch has more than a dozen coconuts (each dozen is 12 fruits)

This coconut shell is reddish brown, the water has a sweet taste (7-7.5% sugar), the water volume is 250-350ml/fruit. Red Siamese Coconut is widely consumed. Dried red Siamese coconut meat will be used to extract oil, make cakes, jams, candies, and by-products used as animal feed or fertilizer. In addition, dried red Siamese coconut meat is a stable export item with high economic efficiency. Coconut shells are also used to make very eye-catching handicraft products.

4. Green Coconut

Green Coconut is the best coconut variety for drinking water today. The coconut shell is very thin, dark green, the water is very sweet (8-9% sugar), the water volume is 250-300ml/fruit. Green Coconut is one of the most popular coconut varieties on the market.

 

5. Fire Coconut

The reason it is called Fire Coconut is because this coconut variety has a very beautiful, orange-yellow shell. This coconut variety produces a lot of fruit, 140 – 150 fruits/tree/year. Although the fruit is a bit small, the water volume reaches 250-300ml/fruit, sweet water (6.5-7% sugar). Fire Coconut can be grown to get fruit to drink and combine to exploit coconut garden ecotourism.

 

6. Siamese Coconut

Siamese Coconut is one of the coconut varieties that produces very delicious and sweet water (8 – 8.5% sugar), with an average yield of 100 – 120 fruits/tree/year. The fruit skin is green, the bottom of the fruit has a small protruding knob, and the water volume is 250 – 350ml/fruit. This coconut variety is grown in small quantities in Hung Phong – Giong Trom and a few other places.

 

7. Malaysian Coconut

Malaysian coconut (also known as Malay coconut, red Siamese coconut) scientific name Cocos Nucifera. This is a new coconut variety grown and cultivated in some places in the West. Because of its outstanding productivity and high economic efficiency, the Malaysian coconut variety is currently being invested in for long-term development. Although it bears many fruits and is small like the dwarf Siamese coconut, the water in the Malaysian coconut is abundant and has a sweet taste not inferior to Siamese coconut.

8. Strawberry Coconut

The strawberry coconut is the second most popular tall coconut variety in Vietnam, after the local coconut. The fruit is round, and also has 3 colors (green strawberry, yellow strawberry and red strawberry). This coconut variety has an average yield of 70-80 fruits/tree/year, medium fruit size, 10-12mm thick coconut meat, fresh coconut meat weight 300-400g, high oil content (63%-65%).

9. Vietnamese Coconut

This is the most popular tall coconut variety in Vietnam, the fruit has 3 ribs, 3 colors (green Vietnamese, yellow Vietnamese, red Vietnamese or also known as fire coconut). Vietnamese coconut has an average yield of 60-70 fruits/tree/year, large fruit size, coconut meat is 11-13 mm thick, has high oil content (63%-65%).

10. Pineapple Coconut

The pineapple coconut is also a type of coconut that has high quality and economic value. Because all parts of the pineapple coconut have the characteristic aroma of pandan leaves, this coconut variety is called pineapple coconut.
On the market, pineapple coconuts are divided into 3 different groups:

• Group I: Round fruit, small in size, green skin, very sweet water (8 – 8.5% sugar) and has the strongest aroma.
• Group II: Medium-sized fruit, green skin, moderately sweet water (7 – 7.5% sugar) and has a light aroma.
• Group III: Large fruit like Vietnamese coconut, green or yellow skin, moderately sweet (6 – 6.5%) and the lightest aroma of the 3 types.

11. Wax Coconut

Wax Coconut is also known as solid coconut, cream coconut.

Wax coconut is very solid, has soft and spongy coconut meat, thick water like glue, very fragrant. Wax coconut is used to make delicious desserts, candies, wax coconut ice cream… with a very unique flavor.

If you look at the outside, the wax coconut tree and fruit are no different from a normal coconut tree. Therefore, to distinguish the wax fruit, you have to shake the coconut with your hand. If the coconut does not make a sound when shaken or makes a sound but it is not clear, it is likely to be a wax fruit.
Wax coconuts are grown a lot in Hoa Tan commune, Cau Ke district, Tra Vinh province and neighboring provinces.
In Vietnam, wax coconuts have 2 types of solid core:

• The first type: The thickness of the coconut meat is the same as a normal coconut, but the meat is soft and the water is a bit viscous. This type of solid core coconut is usually large, the shape of the fruit is like a green coconut, or a large round fruit with a brown color.
• The second type: The coconut meat is thicker, with two distinct layers, the outer layer of coconut meat is soft like mushy rice and the inner layer of coconut meat is fluffy like cotton. The coconut water is very thick and clear white. This type has a round fruit, about the size of a green strawberry coconut.

12. Water coconut (leaf coconut)

Water coconut is a typical tree in the Southwest region, found in many rows along rivers and brackish water canals.

 

Water coconut has white, soft flesh, sweet and aromatic taste, cool properties and is often used to make dishes to help cool down and quench thirst.

 

13. Tam Quang Coconut

Tam Quang Coconut is a beautiful coconut variety originating from Tam Quang (Binh Dinh), grown for drinking water.

The thin, bright yellow shell has a sweet taste (7.5 – 8% sugar), and the water volume is 250-350ml/fruit. Tam Quang Coconut is considered by the people to be cool and can be used to treat diseases. People often buy this type of coconut during Tet holidays because it has many meanings in feng shui and worship.

 

14. Brown (red) coconut

Brown coconut is a water-drinking coconut variety that bears a lot of fruit, yielding up to 250-300 fruits/tree/year.

The coconut is small in size, the shell is brown like red coconut, the coconut water is sweet (7-7.5% sugar), the water volume is 100-150ml/fruit.

Brown coconut is used to make coconut ice cream, coconut yam and create landscapes for eco-tourism.

 

15. Green Coconut

Green Coconut is also a water coconut variety that bears a lot of fruit, with a yield of 250-300 fruits/tree/year.

The coconuts are small in size, the skin is green, the water is sweet (7-7.5% sugar), the water volume is 100-150ml/fruit.

This coconut variety is grown in small quantities in Ben Tre, Tien Giang and the provinces of the Mekong Delta.