Even if they fit ideally into the landscapes of Martinique that their silhouettes sublimate at sunset, the coconut palms are not native to the West Indies but came from Southeast Asia. Botanically, they are giant herbs closer to orchids or banana trees than to the trees to which they are usually assimilated. Their main stem, called stipe, is not a trunk. It can reach a height of 98 ft (30 m) and grows as the palms (leaves) fall. Their inflorescence, made up of both male and female flowers, allows them to fertilize themselves.