World's largest fruit

World's largest fruit
Huge palm known for its double-coconut like fruits beleived to have a variety of medicinal and aphrodesiac qualities.

Description: Large palm to 90ft, though often considerably shorter. The leaf fans are also huge, and can be up to 12ft long, and 7ft wide. Trees are bisexual, with male and female inflorescenses occuring on separate trees. The large, thick male inflorescense, coupled with the female pelvic-like appearance of the husked fruits only furthered the coco de mer's reputation as an erotic thought provoking tree. The fruits can take up to 10 years to ripen, but often ripen is just five years. Trees generally take 30-60 years to begin flowering and may continue to do so for another 100-150 years.

Hardiness: Unknown. Not frost hardy.

Growing Environment: Prefers a warm, tropical climate.

Propagation: By seeds.
Uses: The tree is mostly grown for ornamental reasons--the fruits, resembling a double coconut, contain the largest seeds in the plant kingdom. In years past the nuts were beleived to have aphrodesiac qualities, probably owing to their similarity in appearance to the female pelvis region. In the 1700's, fruits were sold in parts of Europe for up to 400 pounds each! The tree was also once thought to be the Tree of Good and Evil in the biblical Garden of Eden.

Native Range: Native to the islands of Praslin and Curieuse, part of the larger island chain of the Seychelles. This palm is highly endangered in its natural habitat.