The endosperm in a coconut is a semisolid when the nut is ripe. The edible ones
at the store are picked very green to allow a long shelf life. The "meat" that we
shred is the enlarged cotyledon.
I wasn't trying to imply that the endosperm wasn't supposed to be there, but that
if it sounded like water inside, it was a sign that the nut was unripe.
You were fortunate that your store seed ripened enough to germinate. Generally,
the "green" seeds
rot rather than mature.
David Starrett wrote:
> At 02:09 AM 8/9/99 -0700, Steve Hinkson wrote:
> >Produce sections only have unripe seeds. (you can tell by the "milk" inside)
> >They won't germinate. You might try an internet search for Hawaiian tropical
> >seeds.
> >Steve
>> I need a quick lesson. Why does the endosperm indicate an "unripe" seed?
> A characteristic of a lot of (viable) monocot seeds is endopserm, no? And,
> where exactly is the cotyledon?
>> Anecdotally, 25 years ago or so I WAS successful in taking a cocount from
> the market and growing it. I made sure to get one with husk on. I husked
> it and kept in in warm, wet sand. I lived in L.A. at the time, it
> germinated with shoot coming out of one eye. It subsequently "bit the
> dust" as I couldn't keep up with need for bigger pots, proper soil mixture,
> etc.
>> Dave Starrett
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