Pandanus veitchii (screw palm)

The screw pine ( Pandanus veitchii , or actually Pandanus tectorius ) belongs to the screw pine family (Pandanaceae) and originates from the Philippines.

It is not a palm tree (even though the plants later look a bit like palm trees) and it is not a tree either (although it is often called a screw pine).

Although screwpines, like palms, belong to the monocotyledonous plants, they are not closely related to them. Since their woody trunks do not exhibit secondary thickening, they are not botanically classified as trees. The "screw" part of their name refers to the arrangement of their leaves. These appear to spiral up the trunks, but are actually arranged in staggered rows of two or four. In Pandansu veitchii, the leaves are pointed and surprisingly tough, with a spiny tip. They are light green on the upper surface and a rich, blue-green on the underside.

As the trunks grow longer, they produce numerous thick stilt roots with which they anchor and support themselves in the ground.

Screw palms are extremely robust, albeit slow-growing, houseplants and look absolutely primeval, especially when they begin to form their trunks.

You will receive a young plant in a 12cm pot, approximately 50cm tall. It absolutely needs to be repotted!