If you are ever stranded on a deserted island, know this: the coconut palm can provide basically everything that is necessary for life. These trees are so helpful they put Shel Silverstein’s Giving Tree to shame. According to the internet, there is an old Filipino proverb that says, “He who plants a coconut tree plants vessels and clothing, food and drink, a habitation for himself and a heritage for his children.” Many islanders across the world depend on this useful tree for food, water, fuel, building materials: in short, their survival.

One of the many uses of the coconut tree: Alex makes a plate out of palm fronds during Coral Reef Week 2011

Although often the symbol of a laid-back, beachy Florida lifestyle, coconut palms are not actually native to Florida. In fact, they are not native to most of the places they now call home.  Because the trees are so useful, people throughout history have been packing coconuts along with them as they move. The introduction of coconuts to new places can often accurately reflect the history of human migration.

In June 2011, a group of scientists published the results of a heroic study that traced the history of coconut domestication. Through genetic analysis of 1322 coconut palms, these scientists concluded that domesticated coconuts throughout the world originated in one of two places: the Southern coast of India or the islands of Southeast Asia.

Coconut palms in Florida probably originated in India, and their introduction can be traced back to January 9, 1878, when the Providencia, a ship carrying 20,000 coconuts from Trinidad to Spain, sank off the coast of Florida. Salvage rights were purchased by William Lanehart for $20.80, who in turn sold the ship’s buoyant cargo for 2 ½ cents apiece. Many of these purchased coconuts were planted at homesteads in a place now known, not coincidentally, as Palm Beach. Thus began Florida’s love affair with the coconut palm. Read Harvey Oyer’s account of the story in South Florida History.

Christine, Penelope, and Rachel model coconut plates-turned-hats in the Florida Keys

Coconuts are perfectly designed for ocean-vectored dispersal; we at Sanibel Sea School took advantage of this by using painted coconuts to study current patterns around Sanibel- in fact we’ll be doing a modification of this study at our Holiday camp this  year! Wild coconuts can float across oceans and establish on distant shores without human help. However, coconuts from the recent paper bear the traits (and the genes) of human cultivation. Also, as with many other biological introductions, the success and speed of coconut palm establishment has been drastically increased through contact with humans.

So, has Sanibel Island always had coconut palms? The answer is no. Imagine, then, how resourceful and resilient the Calusa tribe must have been to inhabit this area without the aid of the Tree of Life. Something to ponder while you enjoy your next piña colada.

Check out a good Scientific American article on this story here.

Gunn BF, Baudouin L, Olsen KM (2011) Independent Origins of Cultivated Coconut (Cocos nuciferaL.) in the Old World Tropics. PLoS ONE 6(6): e21143. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0021143