From Seychelles to Pattaya! Nong Nooch Garden Achieves Global Success, Harvesting 9 Rare “Coco de Mer” Fruits with Twin Seeds, Totaling 10 Seeds Valued Over 1 Million Baht, Reflecting Thailand’s Mission to Conserve Rare Plants on the World Stage
On July 17, 2025, at 9:00 AM, Mr. Kampon Tansacha, President of Nongnooch Garden Pattaya, led a team of experts in harvesting 9 rare “Coco de Mer” fruits, one of which contained twin seeds, resulting in a total of 10 seeds. This is an extremely rare occurrence, with each seed valued at over 100,000 baht, making the total value of this harvest exceed 1 million baht.
As an internationally recognized botanical garden, Nongnooch Garden has collected over 18,000 plant species from around the world. The “Coco de Mer,” one of the rarest plants, is meticulously cared for and conserved. Currently, the garden has successfully propagated over 229 Coco de Mer trees and seedlings, marking a significant milestone for Thai botany on the global stage.
The “Coco de Mer,” also known as the “double coconut,” is one of the rarest palm species in the world, found only in the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean. It holds a Guinness World Record for having the largest seeds of any plant.
Mr. Kampon stated that in nature, Coco de Mer takes up to 60 years to bear fruit, with an additional 7 years for the fruit to fully ripen, and another 2 years to produce a seedling. However, through the dedicated care of the Nongnooch's team, the life cycle has been accelerated, enabling the trees to bear fruit in no more than 30 years. In some cases, such as this harvest, a single fruit may contain multiple seeds, including twin seeds, which is a remarkable phenomenon that underscores the success of conserving and restoring rare plant species.
