PANDANUS – SCREW PINE

Travelers to the tropics are no doubt familiar with the pandanus or screw pine. The large trunks are whorled, with a spiral crown of leaves emerging from the top. The leaves are still and pointed, sometimes reaching several meters in length, and frequently striped or variegated (depending on the species). Moreover, the leaves are all armed with wicked and painful spines, so casually grabbing a pandanus leaf is not something you’re likely to forget. They are a lovely symbol of the tropics.