Grow your own Pandanus

Pandanus amaryllifolius is the edible Pandanus Leaf that is grown for and used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking for flavoring. The fragrance of the leaf is used widely in rice dishes and curries, but also in other dishes where ingredients are wrapped in pandanus leaf.

Growing conditions and care

This is really a tropical plant so unless you are in Northern New South Wales or further North it could prove rather difficult to grow successfully. However if you can create a warm microclimate it could be worth a try, no cold winds, no frost and plenty of water. It will reach around 2m however if you are using it in the kitchen the constant picking will limit growth.

Some liquid seaweed fertilizer applied in spring and summer or a general purpose slow release fertilizer seems to be adequate. If growing in a container you will need to repot every 3-4 years.

Pandanus amaryllifolius has been difficult to find for sale in Australia
However it has become more readily available as nurseries realize the demand for fresh pandanus leaves of the edible variety.