Wenchang Coconuts

Wenchang Coconuts

　　Hainan has a history of cultivating coconuts for at least two thousand years, and its coconut production accounts for half of the national total. There is even a saying in Hainan that "half of Hainan’s coconuts come from Wenchang." The coconut is a highly versatile fruit—all parts of it, including the flesh, juice, and shell, are useful. Wenchang City is located in the southwest of Hainan Island and is a renowned cultural city, hometown of overseas Chinese, and volleyball city in Hainan Province and even the whole country. It is also famous as a "County of Generals" and the birthplace of the Soong sisters, hailed worldwide as an Eastern miracle. Abroad, especially in Southeast Asia, Wenchang City enjoys widespread fame.

　　　　Wenchang coconuts have flesh that can nourish weakness, strengthen the body, benefit qi, and dispel wind. The coconut has a sweet and mild nature, affecting the stomach, spleen, and large intestine meridians. It helps eliminate malnutrition and parasites. Regular consumption can make one's face radiant, boost energy, enhance endurance against hunger, and treat intestinal parasitic diseases such as roundworms and fasciolopsis. Coconut water offers nourishment and has cooling and thirst-quenching properties, mainly used to relieve summer heat-related thirst and dry mouth due to fluid deficiency. The oil extracted from the coconut shell can treat ringworm and syphilis-like conditions. Moreover, China’s only coconut research institute is located in Wenchang’s Wencheng Town.

　　　　The coconut flesh can be processed into delicious foods such as coconut flakes, coconut milk, and other food products, as well as coconut oil in the chemical agricultural sector. Coconut water is a high-fiber raw material for frozen coconut desserts; the coconut husk is a premium fiber material used for high-end mattresses and organic fertilizers; the hard shell of the coconut can be processed into activated carbon and coconut carving handicrafts. Coconuts are rich in nutrients, containing ample protein, sugar, vitamins, and other nutritional substances.

　　　　Coconuts thrive in low-altitude areas. In China, they can grow well only at elevations below 150–200 meters on Hainan Island. Suitable soils include coastal alluvial soil and riverbank alluvial soil, followed by sandy loam, then gravel soil, with clay being the least suitable. The underground water level should be between 1.0 and 2.5 meters—coconuts do not grow well in poorly drained clay or swampy soils. In terms of soil fertility, potassium-rich soil is preferred. The soil pH can range from 5.2 to 8.3, but 7.0 is most ideal. Coconuts have strong wind resistance—winds of force 6–7 only slightly affect their growth and yield. Winds of force 8–9 can break some leaves and tear smaller ones. Winds exceeding force 10–12 can cause serious damage. Under favorable conditions, coconut trees start bearing fruit after eight years, reach peak production between 15–18 years with 40–80 fruits per tree, sometimes over 100, and have an economic lifespan of over 80 years.