Pandanus furcatus

Pandanus furcatus, Himalayan Screw Pine, is found in Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan at altitudes of 700-1800 m and grows throughout southeast Asia down through Malaysia, Sumatra and Java. It is the most cold-tolerant of the Pandanus species and will take temperatures down to zero and just a little below. In the UK it is best suited to a warm sheltered aspect in a microclimate that has the benefit of an overhead canopy and southwest maritime air or a courtyard garden within the London heat island. Fleecing and root protection is a sensible precaution and is always going to be imperative in a serious sub-zero arctic blast. It is fast-growing and thrives on a rich moist soil with the benefit of heavy nitrogen feeding. It will take full sun but it is best situated in a spot that is partially shaded where it will grow lusher and where it can get the extra winter insulation from surrounding and overhanging foliage. It is fine in a cool glasshouse although in colder areas or during colder periods a double covering of fleece will need to be at the ready. Grown in a large container, it can be brought out from the glasshouse in spring and given a summer holiday in the more jungly parts of your garden. It can also be overwintered in a conservatory but remember that Pandanus like moisture and it shouldn't ever dry out. Indoors, a mulch of hydroleca will keep it surrounded by humid air.

Pandanus furcatus tends to branch and offset much less than many other Pandanus species and it will usually form a tall palm-like trunk before branching. The birfurcated foiage with their toothy margins are highly attractive but it is the appearance of aerial roots that make Pandanus species such a special addition to your collection. A thick mulch of bark and/or hydroleca will help to encourage the growth of aerial roots.