This unusual tropical plant is the Screw Pine, Pandanus utilis.

Despite its common name, it is neither a true pine nor a palm. It belongs to its own distinctive group of tropical plants and is easily recognized by its long, narrow leaves arranged in spirals around the branches.

The leaves are stiff and sword-shaped, with sharp edges, so they should be handled carefully. Their spiral arrangement gives the plant the “screw” part of its common name.

One of its most striking features is the system of prop roots that develops around the base of the trunk. These roots help support the plant, especially in loose soil and windy coastal conditions.

Male and female flowers occur on separate plants. Female plants produce large, rounded fruits made up of many individual sections. The fruit resembles a pineapple, although it is not closely related.

Screw Pine is native to islands of the western Indian Ocean, including Madagascar, but it is now widely planted throughout the tropics. It tolerates heat, salt spray, wind, and poor soil, making it especially useful in coastal landscapes.

Its bold leaves, branching form, and exposed prop roots make it one of the Garden’s most architectural and easily recognized plants.