Pandanus Utilis

Scientific Name: Pandanus utilis

Common Name: stilt palm, Vacoa, Screw Pine, Pandanus

Family: Within the family Pandanaceae,

Names in other languages: Pandanus odoratissimus(Fijjan Name)

General Information

Creating a striking landscape effect wherever it is used, screw-pine has a pyramidal, sometimes irregular, open, but much-branched silhouette. The smooth, stout trunks is topped with full, graceful heads of long, thin leaves, three feet long and three inches wide, emerging spirally from stubby branches. It is not a true pine tree. The blue-green foliage color adds to the striking nature of this exotic tree.

Features of Albizia Coriaria that make it identifiable:

Bark: brown, smooth, and has small ridges of old leaf scars encircling the trunk

Flower: Flower color is white. The flowers emerge in clusters on long spikes and only occurs on male specimens

Fruit: Fruit shape is oval or globulose. Fruit length is 8 to 9 inches. Fruit color is orange to yellow when ripe. Fruit characteristics: attracts squirrels/mammals; showy; fruit/leaves a litter problem; head contains 100-200 tightly compressed drupes

Non Medicinal Uses

The leaves of Pandanus utilis are used, mainly in Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius, for thatching and for the production of ropes, baskets, mats, hats, place mats and nets. They can also be used to make paper. In Mauritius and Réunion, sugar bags were made from the leaves.

Medicinal Uses

It functions as a pain reliever, mostly for headaches and pain caused by arthritis, and even hangover. It can also be used as antiseptic and anti- bacterial, which makes it ideal for healing wounds. In the same manner, a prepara- tion derived from the bark of this plant may be used to address skin problems.