Coconut emblem and coat of arms. Coconut trees are grown on all the islands. Before modern construction methods were introduced, coconut leaves were used as roofing material for many houses in the islands, while coconut timber was used to build houses and boats. The main coconut-producing area in the Middle East is the Dhofar region of Oman, but they can be grown all along the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, and Red Sea coasts, because these seas are tropical and provide enough humidity (through seawater evaporation) for coconut trees to grow. The young coconut plants need to be nursed and irrigated with
Coconut in Indonesia between 1998 and 2008. "Amphioctopus marginatus" is the first invertebrate known to be able to use tools. A coconut can be hollowed out and used as a home for a rodent or small birds. Halved, drained coconuts can also be hung up as bird feeders, and after the flesh has gone, can be filled with fat in winter to attract tits. Coconut oil is increasingly used in the food industry. Proteins from coconut may cause food allergy, including anaphylaxis. In the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration declared that coconut must be disclosed as an ingredient