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Pandanus

Pandanus

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Screw Pine

Description:

A fast growing large shrub that will eventually form a stout trunk and reach about seven feet in height; long lance shaped foliage is a light, shiny gray-green; low maintenance and easy to grow, prefers filtered sunlight and consistent moisture

Ornamental Features

Pandanus has attractive grayish green evergreen foliage on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. The narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain grayish green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Pandanus is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Pandanus is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Pandanus will grow to be about 7 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 7 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Pandanus makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.