Screw Pine

Scientific name: Pandanus utilis

POWO Status: Tree

IUCN Red List threat level: Not Evaluated

GPS Location: 17° 42′ 56.29″ N, 64° 49′ 47.10″ W

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Observations:

Phenological Markers – Pandanus utilis

Common Name: Common Screw Pine, Red Mangin, Vacoa
Scientific Name: Pandanus utilis Bory
Family: Pandanaceae

Leaf Phenology

  • Leaf Type: Long, linear, sword-shaped leaves arranged in spirals around branches; margins and midrib lined with small spines
  • Evergreen: Yes — retains leaves year-round in tropical and subtropical climates
  • Leaf Flush: New leaves emerge continuously from the center of the spiral whorl; older leaves are shed gradually
  • Senescence: Lower leaves age, yellow, dry out, and eventually detach, often forming a skirt around the trunk before dropping

Flowering

  • Inflorescence: Dioecious species — male and female flowers on separate plants
    • Male Flowers: Small, fragrant, in drooping catkin-like clusters with showy white bracts
    • Female Flowers: Cone-like, globular head composed of multiple fused carpels (phalangia)
  • Blooming Period: Typically irregular or seasonal, with flowering more likely during warm, wet periods
  • Pollinators: Likely wind and insects (especially for male flowers)
  • Phenological Indicator: Appearance of male flower clusters or developing female cones at branch tips

Fruiting

  • Fruit Type: Large, round to oval multiple fruit (syncarp) resembling a pineapple or breadfruit; starts green, ripens to orange-red
  • Fruit Development: Matures slowly over several months after flowering
  • Dispersal: Gravity and water (fruit can float and is water-dispersed in coastal regions)
  • Phenological Indicator: Presence of developing or ripening fruit (orange-red segmented ball) at branch ends

Suggested Photo Angles

  • Full tree form (noting prop roots and spiral leaf arrangement)
  • Close-up of leaf whorl and new flush
  • Male and/or female inflorescences (if present)
  • Developing and mature fruit (syncarp)
  • Prop roots at base and trunk features

Notes for Monitoring

Fruit presence and ripening stage are particularly reliable seasonal indicators

Pandanus utilis is native to Madagascar but widely planted across tropical regions as an ornamental or for coastal stabilization

Dioecious nature means not all individuals fruit — be sure to note whether a specimen is male or female for phenology tracking

Distinct visual stages: leaf flush, flower emergence, fruit ripening, and leaf senescence all offer excellent phenological cues

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