Vacoas

an indigenous endemic screwpine

 Pandanus vandermeerschii

      Pandanus vandermeerschii is a small tree growing 20 to 40 feet in height and from 15 to 35 feet in diameter. The trunk is stout and the branches grow at wide angles to it. It has distinctive long blade-like leaves (lau hala) about 2 inches wide and over 2 feet long.

Mascarene

Screw Pine Tree
    The largest remaining population of Pandanus vandermeerschii, one of ten extant Mauritian endemic screwpines or 'Vacoas', is found on Round Island, considered to be Critically Endangered because of its restricted distribution. The Round Island population of Pandanus vandermeerschii Screwpine, or ‘Vacoas’, is the largest remaining population of this species.

You are bidding one(1) Live Bare Root Seedling about 6-12 inches tall with 5-10 leaves.

The petioles (leaf stems) and the leaves are a glossy green with red edge.  

Ready to be put in a 1-3 gallon container.

Family: Pandanaceae
Genus: Pandanus (PAN-dan-us)
Species: vandermeerschii

Danger:
Handling plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction
Plant has spines or sharp edges; use extreme caution when handling.

Plant in fast draining soil. Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings.

photo of similar seedling

Height: 20-40 ft.

Hardiness: USDA Zones 9-11, Minimum Temp - 26 degrees

Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade

Bloom Color: White/Near WhiteCream/Tan, Blooms all year.

Other details: Flowers are fragrant

Soil pH requirements:6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)

Suitable for growing in containers

              Creating a striking landscape effect wherever it is used, Vacoas, creates a tropical landscape effect wherever it is used. It has an open multi-branched silhouette and can grow to 40 foot in height and can spread 12-30 feet. Grown as an exotic landscape specimen in frost-free zones, trees will experience leaf burn at below 28 F. Pandanus vandermeerschi is a medium to fast grower and can tolerate light drought, and salt spray. This exotic tropical species from Round Island that produces a robust, stilt-rooted trunk and a thick densely spiraling crown of mildly spiny light green or often blue-green leaves with very attractive red margins. Vacoas has a pyramidal, sometimes irregular, open, but much-branched silhouette, the smooth, stout trunks topped with full, graceful heads of long, thin leaves, three feet long and three inches wide, emerging spirally from stubby branches. 

            As screw pines grow larger, they produce prop roots around the base of trunk. These roots act as anchors and aid in keeping the screw pines upright during times of heavy winds and rain. Pandanus is known for the many thick prop roots near its base which provide support as the tree grows top-heavy with leaves, fruit, and branches. Sometimes, though, the lower trunk is injured and decays, leaving the screw pine standing on its prop roots.

               Members of the genus are dioecious; male and female flowers are produced on different plants. Vacoas trees are either male or female. Female trees produce a large, segmented fruit somewhat resembling a pineapple. Male trees produce large clusters of tiny, fragrant flowers surrounded by white to cream colored bracts. The female flowers are crowded along the flower spike. Each flower gives rise to a fruit, known as a drupe. A drupe is a single seed within a fleshy outer layer. (Cherries and olives are examples of drupes.) One hundred or more drupes, each from a female flower, form the aggregate fruit of the screw pine. These clusters are about 1 foot long and are called hinano in Hawaiian.The flowers of the male tree are 1 inch long and fragrant, surrounded by narrow, white bracts. The female tree produces flowers with round fruits that are also bract-surrounded. The fruits are around 8 inches long and have many prism-like sections, resembling the fruit of the pineapple. Typically, the fruit changes from green to bright orange or red as it matures.

              The blue-green foliage color adds to the striking nature of this exotic tree. Young plants have leaves are red edged with small red spines. Pandanus vandermeerschii also makes a stunning container plant for indoors or out. The saw toothed leaves are similar to those of a pineapple plant and emerge spirally from the stilt raised trunk to create a spectacular tropical effect. Small plants are tough and easy to grow and will grow for anybody. Striking plant with long sword-shaped leaves produced in a spiral rosette. As a trunk forms the tree will branch to form several heads, eventually giving a very regular conical specimen plant about 40 feet tall and wide if space allows. Suitable for the home or a greenhouse.

       Round Island is an offshore islet, situated 22.5 km off the north-east coast of Mauritius, the second largest of Mauritius’ offshore islands. It is the only relatively large island in the Mascarene group.

The island is a basaltic volcanic cone, probably dating between 25,000-100,000 years. Over half of the island is covered in bare rock. Slopes are generally steep, particularly on the upper third of the island.
     Unlike many small tropical oceanic islands around the world, Round Island has still retained many of its original elements and is also one of the very few remaining elevated tropical islands in the world that is rodent free.

The weather on Round Island is warm and windy.

          Polynesian Produce Stand           

  Shipping    

      We ship via USPS Mondays-Wednesday with Delivery confirmation.

            All live plants are Inspected By USDA Plant Inspectors before they are shipped to insure you get healthy pest free plants and seeds.

   All live plants are shipped bare-root wrapped in moist sphagnum moss to ensure the plant’s healthy transit to you.

ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS!

         We can ship live plants to the US only. All International shipments are at Buyer's Risk.

             INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING ON LIVE PLANTS is available only under these conditions! All international orders are shipped at the buyers risk  (shipped with or without documents) and no refunds or replacements are offered for Dead On Arrival, loss, confiscation, Customs Seizure, unanticipated charges, etc.

We ship Seeds Internationally.

         The additional charge for any phytosanitary certificate is not included in this offer.

              For foreign customers, please check your laws concerning permitting and customs, additional shipping and handling costs may apply.

   Payment

            We accept online payments only through PayPal, Cash payments are only acceptable for in-person payments and cash-on-delivery (COD). Cash payment can not be sent through the mail.

      Please only one Paypal payment. SO THE COMBINED SHIPPING RULE WILL CAN BE USED. Multiple paypal payments are NOT eligible for discounts.

        We will ship once a week - ON or BEFORE WEDNESDAYS, because of the special stamps needed to ship plants and cuttings to you.  This can only be done at the Dept. of Agriculture.  If payments are not met before that MONDAY, your items will be shipped the following week and lose the combined discount opportunity.

         Non-paying bidders may receive negative feedback and will be reported as an unpaid item to eBay.

COMBINED SHIPPING POLICY

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING is not included in this offer.  

        We will combine shipping for auctions won on the same week paid with same paypal payment.

   This policy is good for all items bought and paid for in the week ending MONDAY.

Payment must be received within 7 days of the auction ending.

Combined Discounts Won Auctions

     For 2-3 winning auctions, the combined discount is 10% of the total Shipping and Handling charges. For 4-7 winning auctions, the combined discount is 20% of the total Shipping and Handling charges. For 7+ winning auctions, the combined discount is 30% of the total Shipping and Handling charges.

         As each order is packed and prepared separately you will pay the quoted S/H charges individually per item. If you buy the same species in that item it does calculate out the discount (i.e.: additional item $3.61). My stores' combined shipping is built in for same items rather than a varied selection. Includes postage, USDA certification and inspection, proper packing and delivery to Airport for prompt delivery. I can’t really change any of these. If you want one of this and one of that, it gets hard to discount much as each different species requires it's own prep & packing, then at USDA each has to be unwrapped and inspected then repacked. USDA requires me to clean and prepare every last piece before we drive them to the Inspection Station on the other side of the island. It takes my wife and I, a day to pack items and get ready to ship. The whole next day we drive around the island and get inspected (2-3 hours), then drive to the Airport Post Office to drop off. It takes the same work with the same type item if you can understand.

my dog Taz will fetch your email to me

If you are dissatisfied with the item, please contact me   

before leaving a negative or neutral comment.

I want you to be satisfied.

Mahalo iâ `oe no ke kipa `ana mai. E kipa mai hou!

Mahalo & Aloha!!