“Pandanus utilis”
Day 76 of 366 Day Project
“Magic is everywhere, explore & be amazed everyday!”
How cool are the common screwpine (Pandanus utilis) that are prolific around the Sunshine Coast and despite its name, a monocot it’s not a pine.
The seeds from the fruit turn bright yellow & orange
Being salt-tolerant, it grows near the sea. It is strictly a tropical, palm-like evergreen tree that will not survive frost. It has an upright trunk that is smooth with many horizontal spreading branches with annular leaf scars. Old leaf scars spiral around the branches and trunk, like a screw, hence the nickname screwpine. It grows in full sun to partial shade but prefers at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Seeds take two to three months to germinate. In some species of Pandanus, the fruits look a bit like a woody pineapple.
Fruit looks a bit like a woody pineapple.
But what fascinates me more is the extra prop roots that grow at the base of the trunk. The secondary growth of most trees is the production of wood to aid in support of the trunk. Without this supportive structure, it grows many pale brown prop roots at the base of the trunk. These adventitious roots arise from the stem above the soil level and help support the plant. These roots not only anchor the tree but also keep it upright during times of heavy winds and rain in tropical regions. Prop roots can be 2.5 to 7.5 centimeters (0.98 to 2.95 in) in diameter.
I find it fascinating how plants grow and adapt to survive in the area they reside.
“Pandanus utilis”
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