1200 



PANDANUS 



grown to a considerable age and height for the sake of 

 a perfect bpeciraen of the spiral h ibit of growth on a 

 large scale See Fig IGil In the tropics P. utiUs is 

 as valuable to the natnes as manj palms The fruits 

 are edible and the roots furnish filler for ropes, Ijas- 

 kets, niiits ind li .ts IS ilo also the leavis, which are 

 used ill in il 111 I II 1 iiiilii.ts In M luntuis the leaves 

 I II 1 t 111 ik till bags in which 



There are mor 



Trees or shrubs, rarely 

 iiunK slender or robust: 

 \ so There is only one 

 I n \ 1 inetia This has nu- 

 s w hile those of Pandanus 

 \lso Frejcinetias are usu- 



Ivs. very lonf, •<< n 

 other genus m th. 

 merous o\ules in tl 

 are solitary in the c 

 ally scandent 



The botany of Pand mus is iliiiost Impc'lcss. Panda- 

 nus presents an acutt i ^ m i I III t .1, .lifliciilties 

 with foliage plants f\\ ' ■ I'lluced 



in cultivation, no ni n ii|.iions 



scattered through niui\ i i i ! -. and 



often faulty, geogriplm il .li mluiu n i- • .nU- ever 

 to permit them to be accounted tui m ant Huni; Hs. and 

 fr. too complicated anil out of the ordinary to describe 

 within reasonable limits, species coming and going; 

 mixtures in the trade. Even the standard botanical 

 works are of little help to the horticulturist, for the two 

 points of view have scarcely anything in common. But 

 Pandanus has peculiar difficulties, for the plants are 

 dioecious, and onr- mver kn.iws what the sex will be 

 until the plant- Hum r. Tin n- is a good horticultural 

 review of Pan.!. i^: ::\ p. 134 (1884), but the 



best account i- - i-v W. H. Taplin for the 



Florists' Revi. « - -.. li has been revised for 



the present occasion l.j -Mi. Taplin. -w. M. 



In general, the species of Pandanus are not difficult 

 to manage and under favorable conditions they are rapid 

 growers. They require a high temperature, 65-70°, 

 and little or no slmdin:.- .luriiiu' the winter months, es- 

 pecially for the vin. L'.ii. .1 kinds. A satisfactory soil is 

 good loam enri.ln M «iili "M manure. As the plants 

 make many coai-i- i..Mt-. it i- Lost not to pot them too 

 firmly, and during tin- -iiiiiiinr to o-ive them abundance 

 of water. If the atmosi.lii v !< in"i-t there is little need 

 for syringing overhead, ami imii Hiilarly during winter. 

 Overwatering, if coupl.-.l \viili an ai-.i.hntal low tem- 

 perature, may lead to an atta.k of •■s|iot." 



Certain species, as P. I'eiti-liii. produce suckers freely. 

 Cuttings of these root easily at any season. Rooting is 

 hastened (as in the case of the pine-apple) by keeping 

 the cuttings somewhat on the dry side until they are 



PANDANUS 



callused. meanwhile giving them a fair amount of bot- 

 tom heat. 



P. iitilis is propagated by seeds, which are a regular 

 commodity and sure to germinate well. Seeds should 

 be planted in light soil and placed in a warmhouse. 

 The seeds should be set "bottom up," as this is the end 

 from which the germs emerge. The seeds are odd-look- 

 ing, being closely .set in a more or less globular mass 

 that hangs down on a stout stem, while the individual 

 seeds, or rather fruits, are compound and often contain 

 8 or 10 germs, the latter being inclosed in cells of a 

 tough, horny substance within the body of the fruit. 

 Some gardeners soak the seeds before planting, but 

 the writer has found no gain after soaking seeds of P. 

 iitilis for 48 hours in tepid water. 



P. VeUchii is one of the very best variegated plants 

 for decorative purposes. Its endurance as a house 

 plant depends largely on the conditions under which 

 it has been grown. Soft and sappy specimens are liable 

 to rot. 



P. utills is second in importance in the trade, but is 

 usually obtainable in much larger quantities owing to 

 the readiness with which the seeds may be obtained and 

 germinated. Plants in 3-inch pots, 8 inches high, retail 

 at about 25 cents; plants in 6-inch pots, 18 inches high, 

 about $1. Handsome specimens 3 feet or more high, 

 with the screw character well developed, are worth 

 from $5 to $10. P. utilis is a rapid grower and requires 

 generous treatment as regards soil and water, and gives 

 little trouble unless spot develops. The spot is caused 

 by the burrowing of a minute insect in the leaf. Its pro- 

 gress seems to be favored by overwatering. Badly 

 affected plants should be thrown away, as they are 

 likely to be permanently disfigured. In case of a light 

 attack, keep the plants somewhat drier and dose them 

 with sulfur. 



Among variegated kinds P. Candelabrum, var. varie- 

 galus, is perhaps second in beauty only to P. yeitchii, 

 but, unfortunately, it is too spiny and the spines on the 

 lower side are reversed, so that the plant is difficult to 

 handle. It suckers freely. 



Among dwarf kinds P. graminifolhis excels. It is 

 only 2-3 ft. high when fully developed, and it is at its 

 best in a 4- or 5-inch pot. It is suitable for the center of 

 fern pans and i^ readily itirnaied t.v .-iitfinL's. 



For larire -li.'rhiien- /•.!'■ i- n nolile jilant. 



It is rather Mi-eepi il.jr i mt. r. 1 lie 



writer has ne\.r .e.n n !■■ i- i he -aiiie 



is true of /'. I';,,,/, ,„,,,,, I, ,^ ^ Tl iihMly. any I'an- 



danus will jiroili ■.inkers it' one has the patience to 



wait for tliem t" ili v. io|. on old specimens, or if the cen- 

 tral gniWlll lie .111 out. 



Among the more s|.jnv kinds P. retlexus is unique m 

 habit, the leaves of a well-grown plant being so much 

 recurved as to hide the pot. 



P. Baplislii and P. caricosus are newer sorts. The 

 former is variegated. P. caricosns is dwarfer than 

 P. Bapti.stii, and has narrow, green leaves but little 

 armed with spines. It branches freely and might be 

 briefly described as a very strong P. gramiiiifolins, 

 though perhaps less useful for trade purposes. 



W. H. Taplin. 



Pandanus Sanderi, or as it has been termed the 

 "Golden Pandanus," will not only become a great rival 

 to the popular Pandanus i'eitchii, but will, as soon as 

 it is introduced and can be produeeil in .|nnnM!v. out- 

 rank it as a commercial plant on :e i ' ' ■' ^ more 

 decided, intense and attractive markn 1 i i • L-a- 



tion of P. Sandrri is of a pleasini: i ; 'lis- 



tributed in some instances viti, , ,:, ' " ''o ,' 

 green, while in others the li ill -i ' ' ■ '• leaf will he 

 marked with this creamy m : i ■ ''m,,. while the 



voung growth in the cent. I ^ i- .range bronze 



color^ The entire plant is -niM-i ,1 ■ ,.li .. .olden sheen 



than 



lion tliniiL'liout the plant is more decided 

 ,irl,,, : iliis especiallv appears to be the 

 case in kari.'. r-iz.-.i s,„.,-imens, say'in plants 3 to 4 feet 

 high, where the lower or older leaves attain a much 

 more brilliant color, while in P. VeiUliii this lower foli- 

 age loses much of its original brightness, and under 

 ordinary circumstances frequently turns entirely green. 



