Pandanus tectorius

Screw pine, Hala tree, Thatch screwpine

Message of the Flower

Spiritual Perfume

The Mother’s Comment

It has an extraordinary power of attraction.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

The fragrance of flowers is the prayer of physical Nature to the Divine, her most subtle offering.

The Mother

Immortal fragrance packed the quivering breeze.

In groves that seemed moved bosoms and trembling depths The million children of the undying spring Bloomed, pure unnumbered stars of hued delight Nestling for shelter in their emerald sky: Faery flower-masses looked with laughing eyes.

Sri Aurobindo, Savitri - II: The Eternal Day: The Soul's Choice and the Supreme Consummation

Colour

Cream yellow

Family

Pandanaceae

Cultivars

No specific cultivars noted

Person who named the flower

William Roxburgh

Flower Size

Large inflorescences

Flower Texture

Fibrous

Number of Petals

No true petals, consists of bracts

Floral Symmetry

Radial

Fragrance of Flower

Male flowers highly fragrant

Leaf Texture

Tough and spiky

Leaf Arrangement

Spiral, forming dense rosettes

Leaf Color

Green with a yellowish margin

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Tree-like with multiple trunks

Life Cycle

Perennial

Blooming Period

Varies by region and conditions

Climate

Tropical coastal environments

Water Requirements

High; thrives in moist, coastal conditions

Soil Type

Sandy, well-drained

Temperature Ranges

Prefers warm, tropical climates

Sun or Shade

Full sun to partial shade

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Resistant, but susceptible to scale insects and root rot in poor drainage

Pollinators

Bats and small mammals

Habitat

Coastal regions of Pacific Islands, near the sea

Role in the Ecosystem

Provides habitat and food for wildlife; stabilizes coastal sands

Ornamental

Cultivated for distinctive appearance and cultural significance

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Integral in traditional Pacific Islander lifestyles

Endangered Status

Not globally endangered but threatened by habitat loss in some areas

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