Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Pandanus spp.
Screw Pine
Pandanus spp., the screw pines, are the stilt-rooted trees of Old World tropical shorelines, and no photograph quite prepares a specifier for the structure of them. Long spiny-edged strap leaves spiral around the branch tips in tight helices, and the whole plant stands clear of the sand on a cone of prop roots that grow down out of the trunk.
They are planted on beach frontage and around resort landscapes for salt tolerance and for a silhouette that reads instantly as coastal tropics.
Specifications
- Height4 to 10 metres depending on the species, with some reaching 20 metres
- Width3 to 6 metres
- Native toCoastal tropics of the Old World, from East Africa and Madagascar through South and Southeast Asia to Australia and the Pacific
- FoliageLong, strap-shaped, spiny-margined leaves arranged in tight spirals at the branch tips; evergreen
- Growth rateSlow to moderate
Conditions
- SoilPrefers sandy, free-draining coastal soils and tolerates salt and poor ground
- LightFull sun
- WaterLow; drought-tolerant once established
- ClimateThrives in tropical and coastal subtropical regions
Additional Features
- FormBranched trunk standing on a cone of aerial prop roots, with leaves in tight spirals
- UsesIdeal for beachfront and resort feature planting, coastal groups, dune stabilisation and windbreaks
- SpacingPlant 3 to 5 metres apart to let the prop roots and silhouette develop
- Low MaintenanceRequires little routine care; the leaf margins and midribs are sharply spined, so keep the planting back from paths and handle with protection
- Pest ResistanceGenerally robust in coastal conditions
- Salt ToleranceWithstands direct salt spray and saline sands in front-line positions
- Drought ToleranceHolds condition on minimal irrigation once established
- Erosion ControlProp roots bind loose sand and hold low dune faces
Screw Pine delivers a coastal silhouette that nothing else in the palette can imitate, and it does it in salt and sand.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 08 September 2026