# Pandanus tectorius

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Species of plant

"Ketaki" redirects here. For the Indian tree also known as ketaki, see [Pandanus odorifer](/source/Pandanus_odorifer).

Pandanus tectorius Growing in the mountains of Oʻahu, Hawaii Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Embryophytes Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Spermatophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Monocots Order: Pandanales Family: Pandanaceae Genus: Pandanus Species: P. tectorius Binomial name Pandanus tectorius Parkinson[2] Synonyms[2] 332 synonyms Corypha laevis (Lour.) A.Chev. Pandanus absonus H.St.John Pandanus adscendens H.St.John Pandanus aequor H.St.John Pandanus aitutakiensis H.St.John Pandanus akiakiensis H.St.John Pandanus ala-kai Martelli Pandanus amplexus H.St.John Pandanus angulosus H.St.John Pandanus anisos H.St.John Pandanus aoraiensis H.St.John Pandanus apionops H.St.John Pandanus asauensis H.St.John Pandanus ater H.St.John Pandanus baptistii Misonne Pandanus bassus H.St.John Pandanus bathys H.St.John Pandanus benignus H.St.John Pandanus bergmanii F.Br. Pandanus bicurvatus H.St.John Pandanus blakei H.St.John Pandanus boraboraensis H.St.John Pandanus bothreus H.St.John Pandanus bowenensis H.St.John Pandanus brachypodus Kaneh. Pandanus brownii H.St.John Pandanus bullii Warb. Pandanus cacuminatus H.St.John Pandanus calostigma f. samoanus Martelli Pandanus carolinensis Martelli Pandanus chamissonis Gaudich. Pandanus charancanus Kaneh. Pandanus christophersenii H.St.John Pandanus collatus H.St.John Pandanus complanatus H.St.John Pandanus cooperi (Martelli) H.St.John Pandanus coronatus Martelli Pandanus coronatus f. minor Martelli Pandanus crassiaculeatus H.St.John Pandanus crassus H.St.John Pandanus crustatus Martelli Pandanus crustatus f. minor Martelli Pandanus cylindricus Kaneh. Pandanus cylindricus var. sinnau Kaneh. Pandanus cymatilis H.St.John Pandanus decorus K.Koch Pandanus dhaenei Pynaert Pandanus dicheres H.St.John Pandanus dilatatus Kaneh. Pandanus discolor T.Moore & Mast. Pandanus distinctus Martelli Pandanus divaricatus H.St.John Pandanus divergens Kaneh. Pandanus dotyi H.St.John Pandanus douglasii Gaudich. Pandanus drakei H.St.John Pandanus drolletianus Martelli Pandanus duriocarpoides Kaneh. Pandanus duriocarpus Martelli Pandanus edwinii H.St.John Pandanus elevatus H.St.John Pandanus enchabiensis Kaneh. Pandanus erythrophloeus Kaneh. Pandanus evexus H.St.John Pandanus exilis H.St.John Pandanus exilis var. juddii H.St.John Pandanus extralittoralis H.St.John Pandanus eyesyes Kaneh. Pandanus fahina H.St.John Pandanus faramaa H.St.John Pandanus fatuhivaensis H.St.John Pandanus fatyanion (Kaneh.) Hosok. Pandanus ferulifer H.St.John Pandanus filiciatilis H.St.John Pandanus fischerianus Martelli Pandanus fischerianus f. bergmanii (F.Br.) B.C.Stone Pandanus fischerianus var. bryanii B.C.Stone Pandanus fischerianus f. bryanii B.C.Stone Pandanus fischerianus f. compressus B.C.Stone Pandanus fischerianus var. cooperi (Martelli) B.C.Stone Pandanus fischerianus var. rockii (Martelli) B.C.Stone Pandanus flintinsularis H.St.John Pandanus fragrans Gaudich. Pandanus fragrans f. koidzumii (Hosok.) B.C.Stone Pandanus fragrans f. marianus B.C.Stone Pandanus fragrans f. megastigma B.C.Stone Pandanus fragrans f. rotensis (Hosok.) B.C.Stone Pandanus fragrans f. savannarum B.C.Stone Pandanus fragrans f. tinianensis B.C.Stone Pandanus futunaensis H.St.John Pandanus gambierensis H.St.John Pandanus glomerosus H.St.John Pandanus grantii H.St.John Pandanus guamensis Martelli Pandanus haapaiensis H.St.John Pandanus hendersonensis H.St.John Pandanus heronensis H.St.John Pandanus hivaoaensis H.St.John Pandanus horneinsularum H.St.John Pandanus hosinoi Kaneh. Pandanus hosokawae Kaneh. Pandanus houmaensis H.St.John Pandanus hubbardii H.St.John Pandanus humericus H.St.John Pandanus inarmatus H.St.John Pandanus inermis Roxb. Pandanus inflexus H.St.John Pandanus infundibuliformis H.St.John Pandanus insularis Kaneh. Pandanus interior H.St.John Pandanus intralaevis H.St.John Pandanus jaluitensis Kaneh. Pandanus javanicus K.Koch Pandanus javanicus variegatus E.J.Lowe & W.Howard Pandanus jonesii (F.Br.) H.St.John Pandanus kafu Martelli Pandanus kamptos H.St.John Pandanus katensis F.Br. Pandanus koidzumii Hosok. Pandanus korrensis Kaneh. Pandanus kraussii H.St.John Pandanus kusaiensis Kaneh. Pandanus laculatus H.St.John Pandanus laevis Kunth Pandanus laevis Lour. Pandanus lakatwa Kaneh. Pandanus lambasaensis H.St.John Pandanus laticanaliculatus Kaneh. Pandanus laticanaliculatus var. edulis Kaneh. Pandanus latior H.St.John Pandanus lauensis H.St.John Pandanus lennei Pynaert Pandanus licinus H.St.John Pandanus limitaris H.St.John Pandanus littoralis Jungh. Pandanus longifolius H.L.Wendl. Pandanus macfarlanei Martelli Pandanus macrocephalus Kaneh. Pandanus makateaensis H.St.John Pandanus malatensis Blanco Pandanus mangarevaensis H.St.John Pandanus mariaensis H.St.John Pandanus marquesasensis H.St.John Pandanus matukuensis H.St.John Pandanus mbalawa H.St.John Pandanus meetiaensis H.St.John Pandanus mei F.Br. Pandanus mendanensis Martelli Pandanus menne Kaneh. Pandanus menziesii Gaudich. Pandanus metius H.St.John Pandanus minysocephalus H.St.John Pandanus montaguei H.St.John Pandanus mooreaensis H.St.John Pandanus moschatus Miq. Pandanus moschatus Rumph. ex Voigt Pandanus motuensis H.St.John Pandanus nandiensis H.St.John Pandanus navigatorum Martelli Pandanus navigatorum var. elbertii B.C.Stone Pandanus niueensis H.St.John Pandanus notialis H.St.John Pandanus oblatiapicalis H.St.John Pandanus oblaticonvexus H.St.John Pandanus obliquus Kaneh. Pandanus odontoides Hosok. Pandanus odoratissimus var. laevigatus Martelli Pandanus odoratissimus var. laevis (Warb.) Martelli Pandanus odoratissimus f. major Martelli Pandanus odoratissimus var. oahuensis Martelli Pandanus odoratissimus var. parksii Martelli Pandanus odoratissimus var. pyriformis Martelli Pandanus odoratissimus var. savaiensis (Martelli) Martelli Pandanus odoratissimus var. setchellii Martelli Pandanus odoratissimus var. spurius Willd. Pandanus odoratissimus var. suvaensis Martelli Pandanus okamotoi Kaneh. Pandanus onoilauensis H.St.John Pandanus orarius H.St.John Pandanus otemanuensis H.St.John Pandanus ovalauensis H.St.John Pandanus pachys H.St.John Pandanus pakari H.St.John Pandanus palkilensis Hosok. Pandanus palmyraensis H.St.John Pandanus pansus H.St.John Pandanus paogo H.St.John Pandanus papeariensis Martelli Pandanus parhamii H.St.John Pandanus parksii H.St.John Pandanus patulior H.St.John Pandanus pedunculatus R.Br. Pandanus pedunculatus var. insularis B.C.Stone Pandanus pedunculatus var. malagunensis B.C.Stone Pandanus pedunculatus var. rendovensis B.C.Stone Pandanus planus H.St.John Pandanus politus Martelli Pandanus ponapensis Martelli Pandanus prismaticus Martelli Pandanus pritchardiae H.St.John Pandanus prolixus H.St.John Pandanus pseudomenne Hosok. Pandanus pulposus (Warb.) Martelli Pandanus pulposus var. cooperi Martelli Pandanus puniceus H.St.John Pandanus pusillus H.St.John Pandanus pyriformis (Martelli) H.St.John Pandanus radiatus H.St.John Pandanus raiateaensis H.St.John Pandanus raivavaensis Martelli Pandanus raroiaensis H.St.John Pandanus rectangulatus Kaneh. Pandanus repens Miq. Pandanus rhizophorensis H.St.John Pandanus rhombocarpus Kaneh. Pandanus rikiteaensis H.St.John Pandanus rimataraensis H.St.John Pandanus rockii Martelli Pandanus rotensis Hosok. Pandanus rotundatus Kaneh. Pandanus rurutuensis H.St.John Pandanus sabotan Blanco Pandanus saipanensis Kaneh. Pandanus salailuaensis Martelli Pandanus saltuarius H.St.John Pandanus samoanus (Martelli) H.St.John Pandanus samoensis Warb. Pandanus sanderi Sander Pandanus savaiensis (Martelli) H.St.John Pandanus schizocarpus F.Br. Pandanus scopulorum Martelli Pandanus seruaensis H.St.John Pandanus sinuosus H.St.John Pandanus sinuvadosus H.St.John Pandanus smithii H.St.John Pandanus spurius (Willd.) Miq. Pandanus spurius var. weteringii Martelli Pandanus stradbrookeensis H.St.John Pandanus subaequalis H.St.John Pandanus subhumerosus H.St.John Pandanus subradiatus H.St.John Pandanus subulorum Martelli Pandanus suvaensis (Martelli) H.St.John Pandanus sykesii H.St.John Pandanus taepa (F.Br.) H.St.John Pandanus tahaaensis H.St.John Pandanus tahitensis Martelli Pandanus tahitensis var. exiguus J.W.Moore Pandanus tahitensis var. niueana B.C.Stone Pandanus takaroaensis H.St.John Pandanus tapeinos H.St.John Pandanus taravaiensis H.St.John Pandanus tauensis Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. acutus Kaneh. Pandanus tectorius var. angaurensis Kaneh. Pandanus tectorius var. australianus Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. brongniartii Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. chamissonis (Gaudich.) Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. cocosensis B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius f. convexus B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius var. douglasii (Gaudich.) Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. drolletianus (Martelli) B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius var. exiguus (J.W.Moore) B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius var. fatyanion Kaneh. Pandanus tectorius var. fragrans Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. heronensis (H.St.John) B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius var. incrassatus B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius f. integrifolius Agustika, S.Santiago & A.P.Keim Pandanus tectorius var. javanicus Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. jonesii F.Br. Pandanus tectorius var. laevigatus (Martelli) B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius var. laevis Warb. Pandanus tectorius f. laevis (Warb.) Masam. Pandanus tectorius var. littoralis (Jungh.) Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. menziesii (Gaudich.) Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. microcephalus Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. novocaledonicus Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. novoguineensis Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. oahuensis (Martelli) B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius var. ongor Kaneh. Pandanus tectorius var. parksii (Martelli) J.W.Moore Pandanus tectorius var. pedunculatus (R.Br.) Domin Pandanus tectorius f. philippinensis Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. pulposus Warb. Pandanus tectorius var. sanderi (Sander) B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius var. sandvicensis Warb. Pandanus tectorius var. savaiensis Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. spiralis Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. stradbrookensis (H.St.John) B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius var. sumbavensis Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. suringaensis Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. taepa F.Br. Pandanus tectorius var. timorensis Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. tubuaiensis (Martelli) B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius var. uapensis F.Br. Pandanus tectorius var. upoluensis Martelli Pandanus tectorius var. yorkensis (H.St.John) B.C.Stone Pandanus tectorius var. zollingeri Martelli Pandanus terrireginae H.St.John Pandanus tessellatus Martelli Pandanus tikeiensis H.St.John Pandanus tima H.St.John Pandanus timoeensis H.St.John Pandanus tolotomensis Glassman Pandanus tomilensis Kaneh. Pandanus tongaensis H.St.John Pandanus trapaneus H.St.John Pandanus tritosphaericus H.St.John Pandanus trukensis Kaneh. Pandanus tuamotensis F.Br. Pandanus tuamotensis var. locularis F.Br. Pandanus tuamotensis var. typica F.Br. Pandanus tubuaiensis Martelli Pandanus tupaiensis H.St.John Pandanus tutuilaensis Martelli Pandanus uea H.St.John Pandanus upoluensis (Martelli) Martelli Pandanus upoluensis var. angulosus Martelli Pandanus upoluensis var. minor Martelli Pandanus utiyamae Kaneh. Pandanus vahitahiensis H.St.John Pandanus vandra H.St.John Pandanus vangeertii Van Geert ex T.Moore & Mast. Pandanus variegatus Miq. Pandanus veitchii Mast. Pandanus virginalis H.St.John Pandanus viri H.St.John Pandanus viridinsularis H.St.John Pandanus volkensii Kaneh. Pandanus wilderi H.St.John Pandanus yorkensis H.St.John Pandanus yunckeri H.St.John

***Pandanus tectorius*** is a species of *[Pandanus](/source/Pandanus)* (screwpine) that is native to [Malesia](/source/Malesia), [Papuasia](/source/Papuasia), eastern Australia, and the Pacific Islands. It grows in the coastal lowlands typically near the edge of the ocean.[3] Common names in English include **thatch screwpine**,[4] **Tahitian screwpine**,[5] **hala tree**[6] (**[pū](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/p%C5%AB#Hawaiian)* hala* in Hawaiian)[7] and **pandanus**.[8] The fruit is edible and sometimes known as **hala fruit**.

## Description

*P. tectorius* is a small [tree](/source/Tree) that grows upright to reach 4–14 m (13–46 ft) in height.[3] The single trunk is slender with brown ringed bark.[8] It is spiny, grows to 4.5–11 m (15–35 ft) in width,[8] and forks at a height of 4–8 metres (13–26 ft).[9] It is supported by aerial roots (prop roots) that firmly anchors the tree to the ground.[8] Roots sometimes grow along the branch,[3] and they grow at wide angles in proportion to the trunk.[8]

		- Growth habit

		- Aerial roots

		- Spiny aerial roots and leaflets

		- Fruit showing phalanges

### Leaves

The leaves are usually 90–150 cm (3–5 ft) in length[3] and 5–7 cm (2–2+3⁄4 in) in width.[8] They possess saw-like margins.[10] Some varieties have spines along the edges and ribs throughout the leaves.[8] The leaves are spirally arranged at the end of the branches.[8]

### Flowers

Male flower

*Pandanus tectorius* is [dioecious](/source/Dioecy), meaning male and female flowers are borne on separate trees,[3] with very different male and female flowers. Male flowers are arranged in [racemes](/source/Raceme) and are small, fragrant, and short-lived, lasting only a single day. The flowers are grouped in 3 and gathered in large clusters[8] surrounded by big, white [bracts](/source/Bract).[3] these clusters are about 1 ft in length and are fragrant.[8] Female flowers resemble pineapples.[9]

In Hawaiʻi the male flower is called *hīnano* and the bracts are used for making very fine mats (*moena hīnano'* or *ʻahu hīnano*).[11]

### Fruit

The female *P. tectorius* trees produce a segmented, large [fruit](/source/Fruit).[3] Although not closely related,[8] the fruit resembles a pineapple.[8] The fruit of *P. tectorius* is either [ovoid](/source/Oval), [ellipsoid](/source/Ellipsoid), subglobose or [globose](/source/Sphere) with a diameter of 4–20 cm (1+1⁄2–7+3⁄4 in) and a length of 8–30 cm (3+1⁄4–11+3⁄4 in).[8] The fruit is made up of 38–200 wedge-like phalanges, often referred to as keys or [carpels](/source/Gynoecium), which have an outer fibrous husk and are 8 inches in length.[8] There are roughly 40 to 80 keys in each fruit and the color of the fruit can be yellow, orange, or red with a green top.[3] Phalanges contain two seeds on average, with a maximum of eight reported. The phalanges are buoyant, and the seeds within them can remain viable for many months while being transported by ocean currents.[9]

## Taxonomy

*Pandanus tectorius* was first described by [Sydney Parkinson](/source/Sydney_Parkinson) in 1774.[2] It is an [angiosperm](/source/Flowering_plant) belonging to the genus *[Pandanus](/source/Pandanus)* of the family [Pandanaceae](/source/Pandanaceae).[12]

## Distribution and habitat

*Pandanus tectorius* grows natively from the [Philippines](/source/Philippines) through the [Pacific Ocean](/source/Pacific_Ocean) to [Hawaii](/source/Hawaii). It is found in parts of [Malesia](/source/Malesia) (the [Cocos (Keeling) Islands](/source/Cocos_(Keeling)_Islands), [Java](/source/Java), the [Lesser Sunda Islands](/source/Lesser_Sunda_Islands), the [Maluku Islands](/source/Maluku_Islands) and the [Philippines](/source/Philippines)), throughout [Papuasia](/source/Papuasia), and in most of the tropical Pacific.[2]

Overlooking the ocean at Sawtell, Australia.

In Australia, it is native to an area from [Port Macquarie](/source/Sea_Acres_National_Park) in [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales) to northern [Queensland](/source/Queensland).[13] Both the US and the Hawaiian Islands recognize only one indigenous species, *P. tectorius*.[14][8] Its exact native range is unknown due to extensive cultivation; it may be an early [Polynesian](/source/Polynesian_culture) introduction to many of the more isolated Pacific islands on which it occurs. These islands include [Micronesia](/source/Micronesia) and [Melanesia](/source/Melanesia).[14] In Hawaii, *P. tectorius* is found natively on all the main islands except [Kahoʻolawe](/source/Kahoolawe),[8] and it is known to have predated human settlement, based on seed and pollen samples taken from [Kauaʻi](/source/Kauai)'s [Makauwahi Cave](/source/Makauwahi_Cave).[15]

*Pandanus tectorius* naturally grows in coastal regions, such as on [mangrove](/source/Mangrove) margins and beaches,[9] at elevations from sea level to 610 m (2,000 ft).[16] It requires 1,500–4,000 mm (59–157 in) of annual rainfall and seasons will fluctuate from wet to dry.[17]

*Pandanus tectorius* is considered more drought tolerant than coconut trees. The trees have adapted to drought by reducing fruiting.[18] Thatch Screwpine is well adapted to grow in the many soil types present on coasts, including [quartz](/source/Quartz) sand, [coral sand](/source/Coral_sand), and [peat](/source/Peat), as well as in [limestone](/source/Limestone) and [basalt](/source/Basalt).[17] *P. tectorius* is salt and wind tolerant and favors slightly [acidic](/source/Acid) to [basic](/source/Base_(chemistry)) soil ([pH](/source/Soil_pH) of 6–10). The trees are strong and can typically withstand tropical storms.[9] It prefers to grow in full sunlight, but grows well with 30-50% shade. It will not tolerate shade above 70%.[9]

## Ecology

There are a wide range of natural enemies that pose a threat to *P. tectorius* such as [parasites](/source/Parasitism), [pathogens](/source/Pathogen), and [herbivores](/source/Herbivore). They attack the leaves, roots, stems, and growing points.[17] The [stick insect](/source/Phasmatidae) *[Megacrania batesii](/source/Megacrania_batesii)* lives and feeds only on *P. tectorius* and two other *Pandanus* species.

*Pandanus tectorius* in Australia is threatened by a sap-sucking insect, *Jamella australiae*, a species of the genus *[Jamella](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jamella&action=edit&redlink=1)* of the subfamily [Flatinae](/source/Flatinae),[19] known as the Pandanus planthopper.[20] It has caused much damage to plants on the northern coast of [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales),[21] before making its way up the coast to [Noosa](/source/Noosa) and the [Gold Coast](/source/Gold_Coast%2C_Queensland) in Queensland in the 1990s. Since then it has infested pandanus further north, killing about 80 per cent of the *P. tectorius* population to the south of [Gladstone, Queensland](/source/Gladstone%2C_Queensland), and has since reached [Yeppoon](/source/Yeppoon) on the [Capricorn Coast](/source/Capricorn_Coast), where *P. tectorius* plays an important part in preventing [coastal erosion](/source/Coastal_erosion).[20] A natural predator in the form of a wasp native to northern Queensland, *[Aphanomerus pusillus](/source/Aphanomerus_pusillus)*, has been introduced on [Fraser Island](/source/Fraser_Island)[22][23] and in [Byfield National Park](/source/Byfield_National_Park)[20] as one of methods used to combat the pest. Other methods used on Fraser Island including the injection of insecticide into the plant, stripping infested leaves away, and breeding new plants from local stock. The wasp can only be used in the warmer months on the island, as it does not thrive in the cooler climate of southern Queensland.[23]

## Cultivation

*Pandanus tectorius* may be grown from seed or cuttings – the former will flower at around 15 years and the latter usually flowers by 3 to 4 years of age.[9] Female trees typically flower one to three times per year while male trees will flower every 2 months.[8] It is thought to reproduce sexually in Hawaii, but there is some evidence that [apomixis](/source/Apomixis) occurs.[8] Small insects, such as bees, and wind are usually the pollinators.[8] It takes 1 to 2 years from pollination to produce fruit on female trees.[17]

Seasons vary amongst locations and varieties.[17] For example, in [Fiji](/source/Fiji) the pollination season is March to May, in northern Australia it is April to August, and in [Micronesia](/source/Micronesia), there are two season December to March and July to September.[17] Most varieties produce 8 to 12 fruits per tree every 2 years.[9] Each fruit usually weighs between 7 and 15 kg (15 and 33 lb) and contains 35 to 80 edible keys.[9]

*Pandanus tectorius* plants are usually propagated by seed in Hawaii.[17] Soak the keys in cool tap water for 5 days while frequently changing the water.[24] Viable keys will float, so it is important to keep them. In *Growing native Hawaiian plants: a how-to guide for the gardner*, Bornhorst says to remove the fleshy layer of the key and then bury the seed half-way in planting soil. It is important to keep the soil moist.[24]

*P. tectorius* can also be grown from large cuttings. Selected forms are propagated by stem cuttings in Micronesia.[17] Morphological traits looked for include aerial roots. Plants selected have two-thirds of their leaves trimmed off to prevent water loss.[17] In Native Hawaiian plants for tropical seaside landscaping, Moriarty says for best results use mature branches with leaves and small aerial roots. Then root in a sand bed.[25] Plants grown from cuttings produce fruit in 4 to 6 years.[25]

Propagation by grafting is not applicable.[17]

## Uses

The fruit is edible. Some varieties and [cultivars](/source/Cultivar) contain significant amounts of [calcium oxalate](/source/Calcium_oxalate), and thus need thorough cooking before being consumed.[26] Other cultivars contain very little to no calcium oxalate and can be eaten raw. It is an important food source in the atolls of [Micronesia](/source/Micronesia) and [Polynesia](/source/Polynesia), with the fruit commonly eaten raw or turned into a dried paste (such as [mokwan](/source/Mokwan_(food)) in the [Marshall Islands](/source/Marshall_Islands) or [te tuae](/source/Te_tuae) in [Kiribati](/source/Kiribati))[27] or flour.[28] It is also one of the traditional foods of [Maldivian cuisine](/source/Maldivian_cuisine).[29] The fibrous nature of the fruit also serves as a natural dental floss.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] It is also used in Samoan culture as a *ula fala*, a necklace made out of the dried fruit painted in red and worn by the [matai](/source/Fa'amatai) during special occasions and functions.[30]

Australian Aboriginal peoples extracted the slender, edible seeds. This seed, and the fruit, was an important food.[31]

The tree's leaves are often used as flavoring for sweet dishes. It is also used in Sri Lankan cookery, where the leaves are used to flavor a variety of curries.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Leaves were used by the [Polynesians](/source/Polynesians) to make baskets, mats, outrigger canoe sails, thatch roofs,[32] and grass skirts.

The fragrant male flowers are used in perfumery and are also distilled to make [kewra](/source/Kewra).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

A large shrub or small tree of immense cultural, health, and economic importance in the Pacific, it is second only to coconut on atolls. It grows wild mainly in semi-natural vegetation in [littoral](/source/Littoral_zone) habitats throughout the tropical and subtropical Pacific, where it can withstand drought, strong winds, and salt spray. It propagates readily from seed, but it is also widely propagated from branch cuttings by local people for farms and home gardens. It grows fairly quickly, and all parts are used, from the nutritious fruits of edible varieties to the poles and branches in construction to the leaves for weaving and garlands. The plant is prominent in Pacific culture and tradition, including local medicine.[*[This paragraph needs citation(s)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Hundreds of cultivated varieties are known by their local names and characteristics of fruits, branches, and leaves. At present, there is evidence that this diversity is declining, with certain varieties becoming difficult to find. The reasons include less replanting, deforestation, fire, flagging interest by the new generation, and rapid population growth leading to urbanization.[9]

## In culture

The seal of [Punahou School](/source/Punahou_School) in [Honolulu](/source/Honolulu), Hawaii, features the hala tree, in part because [lauhala](/source/Lauhala), the art of weaving with the leaves of that tree, is pivotal to the history of the island, with everything from houses to pillows being made in this fashion. Local legend tells of an aged Hawaiian couple who lived long ago above the present Punahou campus, and had to travel far for water. They prayed each night for a spring, but to no avail. Finally one night, in a dream answering their prayers, they were told to uproot the stump of an old hala tree. They did as they were told and found a spring of clear, sweet water, which they named Ka Punahou, the New Spring. According to legend, Punahou School's lily pond is fed by this same spring.[*[This paragraph needs citation(s)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Gallery

		- Ripe fruit

		- Fruit

		- Roots

		- Close up of keys, or [stamen](/source/Stamen)

		- Aerial roots trained as an arch, Guam Zoo

## See also

- [Domesticated plants and animals of Austronesia](/source/Domesticated_plants_and_animals_of_Austronesia)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-iucn_status_19_November_2021_1-0)** Thomson, L.; Thaman, R.; Guarino, L.; Taylor, M.; Elevitch, C. (2019). ["*Pandanus tectorius*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/62335/135987404). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2019** e.T62335A135987404. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T62335A135987404.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T62335A135987404.en). Retrieved 19 November 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-POWO_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-POWO_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-POWO_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-POWO_2-3) ["*Pandanus tectorius* Parkinson"](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:895770-1). *[Plants of the World Online](/source/Plants_of_the_World_Online)*. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:0_3-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:0_3-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-:0_3-7) Kinsey, Beth (2017). ["Pandanus tectorius- Hala"](https://wildlifeofhawaii.com/flowers/1091/pandanus-tectorius-hala/). *Wild Life of Hawaii*. Retrieved 6 April 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-GRIN_4-0)** ["*Pandanus tectorius*"](https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=26419). *[Germplasm Resources Information Network](/source/Germplasm_Resources_Information_Network)*. [Agricultural Research Service](/source/Agricultural_Research_Service), [United States Department of Agriculture](/source/United_States_Department_of_Agriculture). Retrieved 17 Sep 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-PLANTS_5-0)** [NRCS](/source/Natural_Resources_Conservation_Service). ["*Pandanus tectorius*"](https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/plant-profile/PATE2). *PLANTS Database*. [United States Department of Agriculture](/source/United_States_Department_of_Agriculture) (USDA). Retrieved 17 Sep 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Native Plants Hawaii - Viewing Plant: Pandanus tectorius"](http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Pandanus_tectorius). *nativeplants.hawaii.edu*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Pukui, Mary Kawena; et al. (1986). [*Hawaiian Dictionary*](https://books.google.com/books?id=bHdRhjL9Y9EC&pg=RA1-PA348). Univ. of Hawaii Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8248-0703-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8248-0703-0). *pū hala*. n. pandanus tree. […] *Ulu pū hala*, pandanus grove.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_8-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:1_8-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:1_8-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:1_8-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:1_8-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-:1_8-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-:1_8-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-:1_8-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-:1_8-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-:1_8-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-:1_8-12) [***n***](#cite_ref-:1_8-13) [***o***](#cite_ref-:1_8-14) [***p***](#cite_ref-:1_8-15) [***q***](#cite_ref-:1_8-16) [***r***](#cite_ref-:1_8-17) [***s***](#cite_ref-:1_8-18) ["Pandanus tectorius"](https://www2.hawaii.edu/~eherring/hawnprop/pan-tect.htm). *College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa*. 2002.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-agroforestry_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-agroforestry_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-agroforestry_9-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-agroforestry_9-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-agroforestry_9-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-agroforestry_9-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-agroforestry_9-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-agroforestry_9-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-agroforestry_9-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-agroforestry_9-9) Thomson, L.A.J.; Englberger, L.; Guarino, L.; Thaman, R.R.; Elevitch, C. (2006). ["Pandanus tectorius (pandanus)"](https://agroforestry.org/images/pdfs/P.tectorius-pandanus.pdf) (PDF). *Agroforestry.org*. Retrieved 7 May 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Pandanus tectorius"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230131130653/http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/pandanus_tectorius/). *Native Plants Hawaii*. 2009. Archived from [the original](http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Pandanus_tectorius) on 31 Jan 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [Mary Kawena Pukui](/source/Mary_Kawena_Pukui); [Samuel Hoyt Elbert](/source/Samuel_Hoyt_Elbert) (2003). ["lookup of *hīnano*"](http://wehewehe.org/gsdl2.85/cgi-bin/hdict?a=q&j=pk&l=en&q=h%C4%ABnano&a=d&d=D100078). *in Hawaiian Dictionary*. Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library, [University of Hawaiʻi Press](/source/University_of_Hawai%CA%BBi_Press).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Classification for Kingdom Plantae Down To Genus Pandanus L. f."](https://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=display&classid=PANDA) *Natural Resources Conservation Service*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-RFK8_13-0)** F.A. Zich; B.P.M Hyland; T. Whiffen; R.A. Kerrigan (2020). ["Pandanus tectorius"](https://apps.lucidcentral.org/rainforest/text/entities/pandanus_tectorius.htm). *[Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants](/source/Australian_Tropical_Rainforest_Plants), Edition 8*. [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation](/source/Commonwealth_Scientific_and_Industrial_Research_Organisation) (CSIRO). Retrieved 5 March 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:4_14-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:4_14-1) ["Pandanus tectorius Parkinson ex Zucc"](https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile?symbol=PATE2). *USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** TenBruggencate, Jan (2005-09-28). ["Kaua'i cave tells 10,000-year tale"](https://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Sep/28/ln/FP509280357.html). *Honolulu Advertiser*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CFTH_16-0)** Little, Elbert L. Jr.; Roger G. Skolmen (1989). ["Hala, screwpine"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170808193151/https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/forestry/trees/CommonTreesHI/CFT_Pandanus_tectorius.pdf) (PDF). *Common Forest Trees of Hawaii (Native and Introduced)*. United States Forest Service. Archived from [the original](http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/forestry/trees/CommonTreesHI/CFT_Pandanus_tectorius.pdf) (PDF) on 8 Aug 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_17-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:2_17-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:2_17-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:2_17-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:2_17-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:2_17-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-:2_17-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-:2_17-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-:2_17-9) Pasiecznik, N. (2015). ["Pandanus tectorius (screw pine)"](https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/cabicompendium.38447). *CABI Digital Library*. Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1079/cabicompendium.38447](https://doi.org/10.1079%2Fcabicompendium.38447).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Stone, E.L.; Migyar, L.; Robison, W.L. (2000). *Growing plants on atoll soils*. Livermore: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. p. 25.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Species: Jamella australiae (Pandanus Planthopper)"](https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:a9177d9c-7d83-4237-9e31-90d0ee1358db). *Atlas of Living Australia*. Retrieved 4 January 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-byfield_20-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-byfield_20-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-byfield_20-2) Stünzner, Inga (15 December 2020). ["Byfield National Park becomes last line of defence against threat to pandanus"](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-16/pandanus-planthopper-kills-60000-plants-and-heads-north/12985874). *ABC News*. [Australian Broadcasting Corporation](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation). Retrieved 4 January 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-tweed_21-0)** ["Pandanus Dieback"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210104062326/https://www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/Item/927). *Tweed Shire Council*. 29 September 2016. Archived from [the original](https://www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/Item/927) on 4 Jan 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** ["The insects killing Fraser Island's pandanus population"](https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/gympie/the-insects-killing-fraser-islands-pandanus-population/news-story/39f31a04a0d8f7a13d23a447e78d3848). *The Courier Mail*. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-coghill_23-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-coghill_23-1) Coghill, Jon (29 October 2015). ["Rangers turn to tiny native wasp to save Fraser Island's iconic pandanus population"](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-29/fraser-island-wasp-saving-pandanus-trees/6895454). *ABC News*. [Australian Broadcasting Corporation](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation). Retrieved 4 January 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:5_24-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:5_24-1) Bornhorst, Heidi L. (1996). *Growing native Hawaiian plants: a how-to guide for the gardner*. Honolulu: The Bess Press. pp. 52–53.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:6_25-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:6_25-1) Moriarty, Dan (1975). "Native Hawaiian plants for tropical seaside landscaping". *Bulletin of the Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden*. **3**: 41–48.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Arno14_26-0)** Arnold, Michael A. (2014). ["*Pandanus tectorius* S. Parkinson"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210831185729/https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/syllabi/206/Lists/Fourth%20Edition/Pandanustectorius.pdf) (PDF). *Aggie Horticulture*. Texas A&M University. Archived from [the original](https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/syllabi/206/Lists/Fourth%20Edition/Pandanustectorius.pdf) (PDF) on 2021-08-31. Retrieved 2020-09-30.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:8989_27-0)** ["Pacific food leaflet No. 6 - Pandanus"](https://www.spc.int/digitallibrary/get/fn7vm). *Pacific food leaflet*. Noumea: Secretariat of the Pacific Community. 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-28)** Miller, C.D.; Murai, M.; Pen, F. (1956). ["The Use of Pandanus Fruit As Food in Micronesia"](https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/8178/1/v10n1-3-16.pdf) (PDF). *Pacific Science*. **10** (1): 3–16. Retrieved 7 May 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-29)** Romero-Frias, Xavier (15 April 2013). ["Eating on the Islands - As times have changed, so has the Maldives' unique cuisine and culture"](https://www.academia.edu/4398927). *Himalmag*. **26** (2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-30)** ["Samoan 'Ula Fala"](http://www.blackpearldesigns.com/collections/samoan-handicrafts/products/samoan-ula-fala). *blackpearldesigns*. Retrieved 3 October 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-31)** Low, Tim (1991). *Wild food plants of Australia*. Sydney, NSW: HarperCollinsPublishers. p. 42. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-207-16930-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-207-16930-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-32)** Kubota, Gary (26 June 2007). ["Funds help hala trees strengthen isle roots"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201125113819/http://archives.starbulletin.com/2007/06/26/news/story09.html). *[Honolulu Star-Bulletin](/source/Honolulu_Star-Bulletin)*. Archived from [the original](http://archives.starbulletin.com/2007/06/26/news/story09.html) on 25 November 2020.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Pandanus tectorius](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pandanus_tectorius).

[Wikispecies](/source/Wikispecies) has information related to ***[Pandanus tectorius](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Search/Pandanus_tectorius)***.

- [*Pandanus tectorius* from Foster Garden, Honolulu, Oahu Island, Hawaiʻi](http://www.um.es/eubacteria/Pandanus_tectorius.jpg) [World plants, visual gallery](http://www.um.es/eubacteria/plantae.html) University of Murcia. Spain

- NSW Department of Environment & Climate Change [\[1\]](https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/vegetation/PandanusDieback.htm)

- Australian Native Plants - John W. Wrigley & Murray Fagg [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-876334-90-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-876334-90-8)

- Christenhusz, M.J.M. (2009). Typification of ornamental plants: *Pandanus tectorius* (Pandanaceae). *[Phytotaxa](/source/Phytotaxa)* 2: 51–52.

- [The World's Best Photos of puhala](http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/puhala/), Flickr Hive Mind, flickrhivemind.net, related pictures, also the fruits partially dismantled

v t e State flowers of the United States AL Camellia, Oak-leaf hydrangea WF AK Forget-me-not AZ Saguaro cactus blossom AR Apple blossom CA California poppy CO Rocky Mountain columbine CT Mountain laurel, Mirabilis jalapa CH DE Peach blossom FL Orange blossom, Tickseed WF GA Azalea WF, Cherokee rose FE HI Hawaiian hibiscus ID Syringa, mock orange IL Violet, Milkweed IN Peony IA Wild prairie rose KS Sunflower KY Goldenrod LA Magnolia, Louisiana iris WF ME White pine cone and tassel MD Black-eyed susan MA Mayflower MI Apple blossom, Dwarf lake iris WF MN Pink and white lady's slipper MS Magnolia, Tickseed WF MO Hawthorn MT Bitterroot NE Goldenrod NV Sagebrush NH Purple lilac, Pink lady's slipper WF NJ Violet NM Yucca flower NY Rose NC Flowering dogwood, Carolina lily WF ND Wild prairie rose OH Scarlet carnation, Large white trillium WF OK Oklahoma rose, Indian blanket WF, Mistletoe FE OR Oregon grape PA Mountain laurel, Penngift crown vetch BC RI Violet SC Yellow jessamine, Goldenrod WF SD Pasque flower TN Iris, Purple passionflower WF, Tennessee coneflower WF TX Bluebonnet sp. UT Sego lily VT Red clover VA American dogwood WA Coast rhododendron WV Rhododendron WI Wood violet WY Indian paintbrush AS Paogo (Ulafala) GU Bougainvillea spectabilis MP Flores mayo PR Maga VI Yellow elder Italics: state wildflower WF, state children's flower CH, state floral emblem FE, beautification and conservation BC

Taxon identifiers Pandanus tectorius Wikidata: Q312736 Wikispecies: Pandanus tectorius APNI: 90574 ATRF: Pandanus_tectorius BOLD: 433827 CoL: 75L2V EoL: 1081363 EPPO: PADTE FNA: 200024684 FoAO2: Pandanus tectorius FoC: 200024684 GBIF: 5534855 GRIN: 26419 iNaturalist: 70026 IPNI: 118948-3 IRMNG: 10594284 ISC: 38447 ITIS: 504095 IUCN: 62335 MoBotPF: 284831 NatureServe: 2.131058 NCBI: 4726 NSWFlora: Pandanus~tectorius NZOR: 9d20b129-5648-4788-9137-7708ddb3c5dd Observation.org: 523001 Open Tree of Life: 71624 Plant List: kew-285436 PLANTS: PATE2 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:895770-1 Tropicos: 23900008 WFO: wfo-0000725426

Authority control databases National United States Israel Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pandanus tectorius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandanus_tectorius) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandanus_tectorius?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.