Thursday, March 27, 2008

Today was a very, very good day!!! While I was out on my adventures for the day I guess I happen to turn my head at the right moment because I have been by here a million times and never seen it before but, there stood an amazing "click here for more info"Screw Pine ( Pandanas utilis ). I adore this tree and was especially ecstatic when I looked a little closer and saw that there were millions of seeds on it and the ground around it. I have never seen the seeds of a Screw Pine before. I think that when they are on the tree they look like large pine cones, and off the tree they look and feel like cows teeth. As I began collecting seeds off the ground , because I don't know if the cones were ripe or not, I noticed a little sprout!! I am sure you can imagine my excitement now!! But then I saw another one, and another one!! I pulled out my pocket knife and began digging them up! There were singles, doubles, and triple bangers that range from 1 inch to 6 inches! Here are some pictures of some of the sprouts, seeds and the first pictures are the mother tree!!









15 comments:

Aiyana said...

I've never seen or heard of this tree before. It is very unusual looking and the seeds are fascinating. Are they plentiful in Florida? Thanks for an interesting post!
Aiyana

mr_subjunctive said...

I bought seeds of this a while ago, from a place on-line, but I couldn't get them to sprout. It was very depressing.

Then I wound up getting some actual plants -- tiny plants, but still plants -- from various places and now I've got eight. Which will be fine until they grow up and start trying to claw my face off.

Still, they're pretty.

Lets Plant said...

Thank you very much for the kind comments!! I don't know that they are plentiful here in Florida but I have seen quite a few!!

preesi said...

The leaves are used it cooking to scent rice or desserts..

Yummmy

Anonymous said...

Thanks for article - I picked up one of these out of interest from Stradbrooke Island (Australia - near Brisbane) and wondered what they were. Yours was the first google image that looked anything like what I had in my hand.

Toni said...

These are really plentiful around the coastal areas of Brisbane and the Gold Coast. I pick up a couple of seeds last week and have them soaking now (was told to soak for 5 days changing the water daily) before planting. Given the success you've had I'm really hoping I might get a plant to strike from them.

Thanks

Anonymous said...

I live in Port Saint John Florida and I have a 15 year old screw pine that has hundreds of seed pod's previously I only had one pod before and squirrels ate most of it.
My tree is about 20 feet high and 40 feet in diameter.
We have hang orchids under it and when friends come over they say it seems like something they would see at Disney. It is our favorite.
I will try to get the seeds to grow. I probably have thousands of them.

Unknown said...

Hi, I live on the Gold Coast and these Pandana Trees are plentiful. I recently got some on the pine cones(thats what they are similar to but very heavy) from a tree. They are green and none of the seeds look like they are about to dry out and separate anytime soon. Can some one please tell me, how will I dry it to cause separation & for them to break away. Also how long will it take?
Kym

Lets Plant said...

Kym, if you can, leave them on three until they fall of on their own. Then you know they are ready. If they are green, they are not ready.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kym

I live on the Central Coast and have just planted a seed that I found on the Mid North Coast and now waiting for it to germinate.
I don't know if they grow down here but I am giving it a go as I love the tree so much.
It gives me great pleasure to grow from cutting and seed and watching the plant thrive.
Regs Julie

Unknown said...

i had 5 pods sitting here from a tree they were very green and very heavy. i left them and one of the went totally black when i went to move it it fell apart. then a couple of days later a second one went black but i was able to move it. the other 3 are still green how do i know when to do anything and not weait until they go black and if they are black are they no good

Lets Plant said...

Hi Susan, sorry for the delay. When you say pods do you mean that they are still in the pine cone look alike stage?

Lets Plant said...

Hi Julie, I am pretty sure you will have success within your region.

Unknown said...

Hello, I found your blog looking for pandanus utilis. I love cooking with the leaves but cannot find them. I would love to grow my own plant. Would you happen to know of a source?

Mel said...

Would you be willing to send me some seeds?

Pinkball@gmail.com