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Trees

Pandanus utilis

useful screw pine

A tender, evergreen, palm-like tree to 6m, bearing glossy, sword-shaped leaves with stiff red spines along the margins. The foliage is arranged in a spiralling formation at the branch tips

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1B

Botanical details

Family: Pandanaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading branched
Genus: Pandanus are evergreen shrubs and trees, with terminal rosettes of spiralled, linear, spine-edged leaves. The small male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, the males in branched spikes, the females in cone-like heads
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Madagascar

How to grow

Cultivation

Under glass, grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost in full light. In growth, water moderately and apply a balanced liquid feed monthly; water sparingly in winter

Propagation

Propagate by sowing pre-soaked seed as soon as ripe or in spring; remove suckers or offsets in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

See pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insects and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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