Author Topic: Grow Pandan/Hala Fruit in Florida?  (Read 922 times)

Weboh

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Grow Pandan/Hala Fruit in Florida?
« on: September 15, 2020, 11:07:39 AM »
I'm looking for information on how to grow Hala fruit, or Pandanus Tectorius. Searching this site for pandan only shows up info for relatives that don't have this kind of fruit. It looks interesting, and supposedly tastes delicious too. Does anyone know if it will do well in Florida, zone 10a? I know other Hawaiian plants like frangipani and hibiscus do.

Do you know if it will grow well in a pot, at least for the first couple years, just being moved indoors when it gets too cold?

I can't find any plants available for sale here. I've heard that it doesn't really grow well from seeds, either. If they will do well here, does anyone have any cuttings, or know a place that sells them? Thanks.

http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Pandanus_tectorius
https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/hala-fruit

Jaboticaba45

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Re: Grow Pandan/Hala Fruit in Florida?
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2020, 11:46:13 AM »
When I was in Naples FL I saw a huge pandanus tree near the beach.(I guess they have salt tolerance?) It had large knobby green fruits but they weren't ripe.(Didn't know what it was at that time, now I know it was pandanus)Very interesting tree. Hawaiin Tropical Plants nursery ships these.
« Last Edit: September 15, 2020, 11:49:00 AM by Jaboticaba45 »

Weboh

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Re: Grow Pandan/Hala Fruit in Florida?
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2020, 04:25:08 PM »
I just checked Hawaiian Tropicals. Looks like they sell the kind of pandan that is used for an herb, and not the type that gives off hala fruit. They're sold out anyway. Does anyone have any information on growing hala fruit?

Weboh

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Re: Grow Pandan/Hala Fruit in Florida?
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2020, 06:34:59 PM »
I guess it doesn't really taste that good then? If even the people on this forum haven't heard of it, it must not be worth the trouble to grow.

New_Jungle

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Re: Grow Pandan/Hala Fruit in Florida?
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2020, 06:48:50 PM »
I guess it doesn't really taste that good then? If even the people on this forum haven't heard of it, it must not be worth the trouble to grow.

We’d eat that all the time as kids. It has to be really ripe though otherwise it’s like chewing bark lol! Flavor imo is sweet. Maybe like a bland or water down mango. I used to just chew the nodes for the juice and spit out the rest as it’s very fibrous. If you think The tree is interesting looking and have the space, just grow it for fun. If it’s because you want fruit to eat, I’d say plant something else.
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