At one time it was considered a native palm. Cultivated below 5,000 feet. The Coco takes about a year to mature. Around the five month stage you can drink the water (coconut juice) and eat the soft meat of the coconut, which is often sold fresh by street vendors. Heading towards Santa Marta from Barranquilla a couple of miles from the Alberto Pumarejo bridge there are dozens of vendors along the highway selling coconuts. The coconut tree is common along the north coast of Colombia and is used to make coconut rice a popular side-dish with fried fish. Coconut milk with lime makes an excellent juice.