Pandanus furcatus flowering for the first time!

[Eric in Orlando]

One of our Himalayan Screw-Pine, Pandanus furcatus are flowering for the first time. It was planted in Oct. 2004 from a 1 gal. pot, it was about 2ft tall. This seems fairly quick to get a Pandanus from seed to flowering in less than 5 years. I will post updated photos as the inflorescence emerges more.

Here is the specimen just a couple of weeks ago, it is planted outside the front gate at Leu Gardens. The green palm to the left of it is Livistona nitida.

And then today. When I came into work this morning I noticed it emerging from the foliage.

[palmmermaid]

Wow! That is a fast grower! Good job. Keep us posted with the pictures.

[mppalms]

Nice pics, Eric. This is a great plant. It seems about as happy here in the SF bay area as there, maybe a bit slower growing. Mine sat for about a year and then really started to grow. It's about 4 ft. tall with no above-ground stem (though it keeps wanting to throw stilt roots).

Jason

[Eric in Orlando]

Good to hear it is growing well out there. There are supposed to be a more cool and cold tolerant pandan though ours did show some damage at 27F a few years ago while P. tectorius had none.

[mppalms]

Good to hear it is growing well out there. There are supposed to be a more cool and cold tolerant pandan though ours did show some damage at 27F a few years ago while P. tectorius had none.

Mine has done well down to about 28 F. I figure they are probably not hardy to a real freeze, but the problem with most other Pandanus species is that they probably require warmer average temps than I can provide. P. furcatus doesn't mind cool, wet winters.

Yours is doing very well.

Jason

[Eric in Orlando]

Here is an update, it seems to be forming fruit. Don't know if the seeds will be fertile.

[MattyB]

Cool pics Eric. Does anyone know if rabbits will eat Pandanus?

[mppalms]

Interesting. I have one in a large pot. It's just starting to form trunk. This summer, for the first time, some animal (I think a rat.) ate what I thought were just the new leaves but I suspect it was also the inflorescence.

Your plant is very cool!

Jason