In the center of the coat of arms of the Republic of Seychelles is a palm tree - endemic to the planet. The botanical name for the tree that produces the largest nuts is Lodoicea maldivica. Another, more popular, name of the plant is the Seychellois palm. Only on 2 islands of the Seychelles (Praslin and Curiosity) can you see tall trees with fan leaves with a span of 3 meters or even more.
Features
Palms of different sexes: there are female and male trees. When pollen from a male individual falls on the flowers of a female plant, fruits begin to develop, which take 7-10 years to fully ripen. Palm trees grow very slowly. Only it takes six months to soften the shell. A sprout will appear from the ground in a year. After 7-8 years, you can determine who it is - a "boy" or a "girl". At the age of 18, the female palm begins to bloom and the first fruits are tied on it. If there is no male specimen nearby, then the natives solemnly pollinate the plant, cutting off the pistil and bringing it to the opened flowers. BehindFor 2 hundred years, palm trees reach a height of 10 meters. Those that stretched out to 30 meters are "a little older" - they are about 8 centuries old. On adult palms, there are up to 70 nuts, but they do not ripen at the same time, but gradually. As they say, the ripe nut of the Seychelles palm tree falls at night, breaking off on its own from the tree. But the guards guarding the palm plantations wear helmets during the day. Although such a precaution is unlikely to save them. The Seychelles nut, the photo of which is posted here, does not have the powerful dimensions that individual specimens achieve. Up to 25 kg - these are the giants, champions among seeds!
What's inside?
The nut shell is very hard and thick. The composition of the intrafetal pulp is 85% fat, proteins - 5%, carbohydrates - 7%. Energy nutritional value - 345 kcal per 100 grams. You can’t really praise the Seychelles nut for its taste: slightly sweetish. In addition, the internal contents very quickly acquire the hardness of ivory and the same color. But there may be disagreements here - there are still no comrades for taste and color. If you happen to visit the Seychelles - try the pulp cocktail, this is an exquisite drink offered in restaurants.
Tables of old
The Seychelles walnut was insanely highly valued in the Middle Ages. In those days of the first acquaintance with the royal nut (aka sea coconut - coco de mer, double coconut, love nut, Maldivian nut), people endowed it with magical properties - to attract he alth, we alth, love to the owner: in a word -happiness. Until the Seychelles was settled by the French, which happened in the 18th century, no one knew where sea coconut grew. Nuts were beaten by the sea wave, and therefore it was assumed that they ripen in the depths of the sea. It was not possible to grow something from a nut in another area. During the wanderings in the depths of the ocean (fresh fruits are heavier than sea water and can only move in the depths under the force of currents), the core rotted, the nut became light and floated to the surface, falling either to the coast of the Maldives, or to the island of Java. These were isolated cases. The surviving shell was equal to the volume of gold. The nut was exchanged for metal by weight or the cavity was filled with coins and jewelry. It is clear that only the rulers of the world could afford such operations. Ordinary people who dared to hide a nut were mercilessly chopped off their hands - for the first time, and for the next offense they were deprived of their lives.
Nature is joking
The Seychelles nut ripening on a palm tree in a shell resembles a heart. Ripe fruits fall to the ground, the shell bursts on them and is removed. The nut is transformed beyond recognition - instead of the heart, the lower part of the woman's body appears. It turns out that the Seychelles nut in the shell has the most erotic look. Do not lag behind in playful hints and male trees - take a look at the photo. Seychellois are cheerful people. Here, on the toilet stalls, instead of silhouettes (common designations), you can see images of a nut and pestle of a Seychellois palm tree. It’s clear: you go there, and I go here.
Reality
And now the Seychelles nut is a very expensive pleasure, from 150 euros for a small copy. It can be taken out of the islands only with permission. Each palm tree is registered, and on it - each nut is numbered, it has a passport. On the island of Praslin, there are plantations of Seychelles palm trees, from which up to 4 thousand pieces of ripe nuts are harvested annually.
Making a miracle
With the hands of masters and their aspirations, you can get a miracle, which is based on the Seychellois walnut. The photo of the exclusive box is a confirmation of this. The locals deeply appreciate the gifts of nature. They give a second life to each piece of shell, making useful things out of it - souvenirs, cups, decorations. It's great if such a nut just lies in plain sight in the apartment. What pleasant memories of the earthly paradise, whose temporary visitor I was lucky enough to be, he will inspire with his presence! It is possible that he acquired the magical properties of the talisman, ripening under the equatorial sun.
