The coconut palm is grown throughout the tropical world, for decoration as well as for its many cooking and non-culinary uses, virtually every part of the coconut palm has some human use.The flowers of the coconut palm are polygamomonoecious, with both male and female flowers in the similar inflorescence. Flowering occurs continuously, with female plants producing seeds. Coconut palms are believed to be largely cross-pollinated, although some dwarf varieties are self-pollinating. Coconut water can be used as an intravenous fluid.

Nearly all parts of the coconut palm are useful, and the palms have a comparatively high yield, it therefore has important economic value. The name for the coconut palm in Sanskrit is kalpa vriksha, which translates as the tree which provides all the requirements of life. In Malay, the coconut is known as pokok seribu guna, the tree of a thousand uses. In the Philippines, the coconut is generally given the title Tree of Life. The white, fleshy part of the seed is safe to eat and used fresh or dried in cooking.