The world’s largest seed is the coco de mer, the enormous, two-lobed seed of the Seychelles palm Lodoicea maldivica. It grows naturally on just two Seychelles islands, and published accounts differ on how heavy the largest seeds can be. Its fame is tied not only to its size, but also to its unusual biology, a centuries-old sea-origin mystery and the need to protect the species.
What is the largest seed in the world?
The record-holder is the seed of Lodoicea maldivica, a palm commonly called coco de mer, sea coconut or double coconut. The names refer to the seed’s distinctive shape: two rounded lobes joined together. Although people often call it a nut, it is a seed produced by a palm—not a coconut species.
UNESCO describes Vallée de Mai, a protected palm forest in Seychelles, as an ecosystem dominated by endemic palms, especially coco de mer. It calls the palm famous for its “distinctively large double nut containing the largest seed in the plant kingdom” (UNESCO World Heritage Centre).
How heavy is a coco de mer seed?
Published upper-weight figures differ. A 2020 article from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, reports seeds weighing up to 25 kg, while another Kew article gives an upper figure of 18 kg. These are reported maxima, not the weight of every seed, and the sources do not establish a single uncontested maximum (Kew, “Double coconut: The largest seed in the world”; Kew, “Orchid seeds: Nature’s tiny treasures”).
#1 Best Overall
- RARE NATURAL WONDER: The Coco de Mer Double Coconut, known as the Lovenut, is the world's largest seed found in nature.
- UNIQUE SHAPE: Renowned for its distinctive double-lobed form, this extraordinary seed is a remarkable collector's piece.
- IMPRESSIVE SIZE: As the largest seed on Earth, the Coco de Mer is a truly awe-inspiring natural specimen.
- DECORATIVE DISPLAY: Makes a stunning and conversation-worthy addition to any home décor or natural curiosity collection.
- AUTHENTIC SPECIMEN: Each Coco de Mer seed is a genuine, one-of-a-kind natural artefact with its own unique characteristics.
Where does the coco de mer grow?
Lodoicea maldivica is native to Seychelles, specifically the islands of Praslin and Curieuse, according to Kew’s Plants of the World Online entry. The palm is endemic to this small natural range; the seed’s name does not mean the species grows throughout the Indian Ocean.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin offers a view of the palm as part of a living forest rather than simply as a record-breaking seed. UNESCO describes a landscape of endemic palms alongside Pandanus and broadleaf trees, with processes such as pollination, seed dispersal and nutrient cycling shaping the ecosystem (UNESCO World Heritage Centre).
Rank #2
- VERSATILE PALM: Coco Palm (Butia Capitata) produces edible orange-yellow berries and features attractive creamy white to yellow flowers, making it both ornamental and functional.
- GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS: This palm reaches 15-25 feet in height at maturity and requires 10-15 feet of spacing, perfect for statement landscaping or as a distinctive houseplant.
- SEASONAL FEATURES: Blooms during summer months with creamy white-yellow flowers, followed by a harvest of edible orange-yellow berries in the same season.
- ADAPTABLE GROWING CONDITIONS: Thrives in sun to part shade locations with average soil and water requirements, making it suitable for various garden settings.
- CULTIVATION VERSATILITY: Can be grown outdoors in hardiness zones 8-11 or kept as an indoor houseplant, with seeds plantable outdoors after frost or indoors before last frost.
How does the palm produce such a large seed?
Male and female flowers grow on separate palms. After fertilization, a female flower develops into the large, bilobed seed commonly called the coco de mer nut. Seychelles’ official visitor information describes this reproductive pattern and the formation of the nut (Office of the President of Seychelles).
Why might the seed have evolved to be so large?
Kew’s 2020 account proposes that several conditions may help explain the seed’s size: the palm can support very large seeds, a large reserve of resources can benefit a seedling, and Seychelles lacks large seed dispersers. Where relatively few seeds travel far from the parent palm, investing in fewer, better-provisioned seeds may help seedlings compete beneath it. This is an evolutionary explanation proposed by Kew, not proof that one factor alone caused the seed’s size (Kew, 2020).
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- Purslane features glossy green leaves with a tangy, lemony flavor, perfect for salads and cooking.
- This plant was commonly thought of to be a weed but has grown in popularity due to its deliciously unique flavor and quick abundant growth.
- Makes an excellent, edible ground cover. So easy to grow and will self-sow readily.
- Growing instructions included on each seed packet.
Why is it called a sea coconut?
For centuries, enormous coco de mer seeds washed ashore in India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Because people found them at sea without knowing their source, they imagined they came from beneath the ocean. Seychelles’ environment ministry links this mistaken belief to the name coco-de-mer, or “coconut of the sea” (Seychelles environment ministry).
Is the coco de mer endangered?
Conservation labels vary across the cited official sources. Kew’s taxonomy entry lists the species as Endangered under IUCN categories; a Seychelles environment ministry page describes it as Vulnerable. The ministry also identifies poaching and sales driven by tourist curiosity among the pressures on the palm. Because these sources give different labels, neither should be presented as a universally agreed current classification without checking the latest IUCN record (Kew Plants of the World Online; Seychelles environment ministry).
Rank #4
- Coconut seeds, coco, cocos nusiferas
Seychelles’ national biodiversity reporting also discusses past threats from fire and development, high demand for the seed and management intended to prevent poaching (Seychelles Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity). The palm’s small natural range makes protection of its habitat and seeds especially important.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you buy or take a coco de mer nut home?
Seychelles says the nut is protected by law and that buying one and taking it out of the country is allowed only under strict regulations (Office of the President of Seychelles). The specific permit steps and current requirements are not established here. If you are considering a purchase or export, check current official Seychelles guidance before acting; do not assume a nut offered as a souvenir can be freely taken home.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Cocos nucifera
- growing up to 30 meters (98 ft) tall, with pinnate leaves 4–6 meters (13–20 ft) long
- Trees
- High Germination Rate
- Please read the description below for product details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
