Learn How to Grow Pandanus veitchii Indoors and liven up the corners of your home with its appealing foliage!
Screw Pine can be a classy addition to your home with its long leaves spread outwards, flaunting a remarkable view. To learn more about this fantastic houseplant, find How to Grow Pandanus veitchii indoors!
Pandanus veitchii Information
Pandanus veitchii is a herbaceous perennial that looks like a tropical palm tree with an erect spine and multiple branches. It got the common name of Screw Pine because of the fruit it bears, which resembles a pineapple or pine cone. This indoor plant is mostly noted for its long and narrow pinnate foliage, green in color with lime-yellow edges, and a slender midrib packed in a rosette.
Ideal Pot Size
As a houseplant, Pandanus veitchii can grow as tall as 4 feet and will do well in 8-10 inches pot. You may use any glazed pot or showy planter to showcase this beauty on your center and coffee tables. Ensure the pot has a drainage hole in the bottom to avoid waterlogging.
Propagating Pandanus veitchii
The easiest way to propagate this attractive houseplant is via cuttings. Take the plant from the pot and use a sterile knife to divide the roots carefully. Plant it in a well-draining, peat-based medium, keep it moist, and expose it to indirect sunlight. It will send out new shoots in a couple of weeks.
Apart from that, the plant grows additional roots called pups. You may also remove them carefully from the parent root and plant them in a separate pot with a soil mix rich in organic matter. Water it sparsely and place it in indirect sunlight.
Requirements for Growing Pandanus veitchii Indoors
Light
Screw Pine grows best in full direct sunlight but is also adapted to thrive well in partial sunlight. The best bet is to place it in the North Eastern corners of the house where it can bask in the morning sun. However, do keep in mind that the harsh afternoon sun will scorch its beautiful foliage.
Soil
Pandanus veitchii isn’t very finicky about the growing medium. However, it prefers a well-draining soil mix with a pH of 6-7.5. The best blend would include garden soil, sand, peat moss, and a handful of perlite to aid drainage.
Water
Water the plant according to the weather. It needs plenty of water in the summer since that is also its growing period. However, do not sog the medium. Allow the top soil to dry before watering but be careful not to let the whole soil structure dry out.
Temperature & Humidity
The Screw Pine doesn’t do well in extreme cold. It usually thrives in the temperature range of 60-80 F or 16-20 C, optimal for indoor planting.
This tropical plant requires at least 50-60% humidity to grow well. Provide it with a pebble tray or use a humidifier on dry days.
Pandanus veitchii Care
Fertilizer
During the growing stage, provide the plant with well-balanced fertilizer, diluted to half its strength every 4-6 weeks in Summer and Spring. You need not feed the plant in Winter.
Pests and diseases
Houseplants do not encounter any serious threats of pests if you are careful about not overwatering the plant and providing good air circulation. The plant might be attacked by mites or scales at most. Shower it with insecticidal neem oil solution on spotting any pests.
