Common Name:

General Information

Pandanus krauelianus is a spiny, evergreen tree or shrub with a slender, branched stem that has prop roots around 50cm tall. Rosettes of long, sword-shaped leaves are formed at the ends of each branch. The plant sometimes suckers and grows in clusters[]
The tree is often harvested from the wild for its fibre and edible fruit, which are used locally. The fruits are sometimes traded.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Indonesia, Papua New Guinea to northern Australia and the Solomon Islands.

Habitat

Along rivers in mountainous areas[]. Mangrove, lowland swampy forests up to sub-montane forests; at elevations up to 1,600 metres[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	2.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Species in this genus generally grow well in most moist, well-dained soils and a sunny position[]
Branches do not have dormant buds and so will not resprout if cut back into the old wood[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruits and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Fruit[]. Cooked as a flavouring in food[]. The cylindrical fruit is 20 - 30cm long by 5 - 8cm wide. Yellow when mature, it is made up of a number of drupes[].
The cylindrical fruit is a syncarp made up of a number of individual drupes[]. Individual drupes are hard, woody wedges - each containing a few, slender seeds[]. Each wedge has a fleshy base imbued with a sweet-smelling, orange pulp that in many species has a delicious flavour[]. This pulp needs to be cooked in order to destroy a deleterious substance[].

An oil is obtained from the seed[].

Although no specific records have yet been seen for this species, most members of this genus also have more or less edible seeds and inner leaf bases[].
The seed often has a delicious nutty flavour when eaten raw or cooked, though it is fiddly to extract[]. Seeds contain 44 - 50% fat and 20 - 34% protein[].
Inner base of young leaves - raw[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The leaves are used for making mats[]. The leaves are about 2 metres long by 3 - 3.5cm wide, with short spines at the margin and the main vein[].

Propagation

Seed - best pre-soaked for 24 hours prior to sowing[].

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