Screw-Pine

Pandanus utilis Bory

pan-DAY-nus YOU-tah-lis

Pandanaceae

Explanation of name: The generic name comes from Malaysian, Pandan, for screw-pines. Utilis means useful.

Natural range: Madagascar

Recognition: Large shrub or small tree with prop roots and with few, thick, evenly forked branches and long, usually solid-green sword-shaped serrate leaves emerging in a spiral pattern. The fruit resembles a pineapple on female plants. The male flowers look like dangling white “bunny ears.” There are several similar species, the ones below described from horticultural sources. Because their publications are unorthodox, the bibliographic citations of their original descriptions are provided:

            Pandandus tectorius Sol. & Parkinson (Pandanus veitchii Hort. See Gard. Chron. 1868. 349. Hort. ex Dalliere, Pl. Ornament. i. 28. 1873.) has serrate leaves with white margins.

            Pandanus baptistii Veitch ex Misonne has entire leaf margins and creamy streaks in the leaves. [Pandanus baptisti Hort. ex  Wien. Illustr. Gartenzeit. 1893. 306; Rev. Hortic. Belg. xix. 1893. 167, fig. 35.] Cultivar ‘Aureus’ is yellow-striped.

            Pandanus sanderi Sander ex M. T. Mast. has serrate leaves with golden central striping. [Pandanus sanderi Hort. Sand. Gard. Chron. 1898, t. 243.]

Landscape uses: An eye-catching focal point with extremely coarse texture, difficult to harmonize visually with other plants. Highly salt-tolerant, littoral in character, and looks best near the sea