Common Name:

General Information

Pandanus conoideus is a prickly, evergreen tree growing around 3 - 10 metres tall with prop-roots obviously present. The stems are branched with clusters of sword-shaped leaves around 170cm long and 10cm wide produced at the branch-apices[].
The plant is often cultivated in lowland regions of New Guinea, where it is highly valued as a food, medicine and source of materials, and its fruits are traded at local markets. It is also harvested from the wild for local use[]

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Indonesia (Maluku) east to New Guinea and the western Pacific

Habitat

Rarely found as a trulty wild specimen, usually growing near to running water at elevations around 200 metres[]. Plants can be found at elevations from 700 - 2,300 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	7.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Species in this genus generally grow well in most moist, well-dained soils and a sunny position[]
Often cultivated in lowland New Guinea, and traded at local markets, several cultivated forms have arisen. Cultivated forms are readily distinguised from wild forms by their considerably longer cephalia (cones of fruits)
The fruiting bodies of wild forms of this species are often attacked by burrowing insects, though as of 2008 there are no reports of cultivated forms being attacked[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruits and seed are required.

Edible Uses

A vegetable fat extracted from the pericarp is used as a sauce[]. The fruiting body (cephalium) can vary in length from less than 50cm to around 100 - 110cm[].
The edible portion is the hard red or yellow/green waxy mesocarp and pericarp between the hard, inedible seeds. Harvested fruits are prepared in hamlets. They are split in half and cored with a cassowaryfemur knife (biadarin), a technique and tool pattern widespread in the Highland Fringe. Wrapped in leaves and baked in a hot stone oven, the solid fat liquifies to become oil. The oil is expressed by hand to make a sauce that is spread over leafy greens or crumpled, baked taro[].

Medicinal

A vegetable fat extracted from the pericarp is used as a medicine, and tonic[].

Other Uses

An essential oil obtained from the fruit is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an emollient and skin conditioner[].

The leaves are woven to make mats[, ].
The leaves are used as cigarette papers[].

Propagation

Seed - best pre-soaked for 24 hours prior to sowing[].
Cuttings from the top section of a branch usually root well when planted in a moist, fertile, well-drained soil[].

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