Time for some palm readings: Swetha Sivakumar on the coconut tree

“How can I evolve over millions of years to ensure that I never risk extinction,” it likely pondered. The tree grows along coastlines with heavy rainfall, because it needs 100 to 150 litres of water a day, if it is to produce its heavy, nutrient-intensive fruit. In order to support fruit that is so heavy and large, and support it so high above the ground, the tree developed a network of adventitious roots that sprout directly from the base of the trunk, in the thousands, to anchor it firmly; and a flexible trunk with a strong lignin core that can also withstand fierce winds, storms and sometimes even tsunamis. The closest they have come is an expensive method called high-pressure processing, a non-thermal pasteurisation technique that extends coconut water shelf life to four months. It features in island mythology and auspicious offerings to the sea; it is nicknamed the tree of life, of abundance, of heaven; the coconut is used in a range of religious rituals in India.