My Mom got a start from a plant about 40 years ago when she was visiting Florida. This was started from hers. Up here we have to keep them as houseplants although it is getting a little big for in the house. Can anybody ID this for me? Thanks in advance for your help!


Close up of the back of a leaf. They have serrated edges with a serrated ridge running down the center of the back of the leaf.

Reminds me of a Dracaena. Similar to "Janet Craig"

I think it is a Screw Pine or Pandanus, if so it will get to be a huge tree. If your plant is a Pandanus the leaves emerge in a spiral pattern.

The leaves don't emerge in a spiral. The central trunk is very skinny with large support roots coming from the stem above the soil line. The leaves are very, very long but the central stem is rather short to support such a large plant. Young plants form from the base of the plant up the stem. They can just be pulled off and easily rooted. (If anybody wants a baby, let me know!)

OK I'm stumped. The support roots again say 'Pandanus' to me, as does the serration. But the young plants at the base don't. A Yucca maybe?

Just took another picture. This shows how thin the main stem is, and you can see a couple of the roots coming off the main stem and the good sized babies on the stem too. My plant is currently 45" tall and 70" wide. I was told that outside down south they can get as tall as 12-15 feet. Sorry about the blurry picture....

I'm sticking with Pandanus. Closely observe the emerging pattern of the leaves. It's too hard to see from the picture but I think I detect a spiral pattern. Are the leaves fragrant at all?

I Googled Pandanus and it could be! No, the leaves are not fragrant. But they must taste good because my dog once ate a complete 2 foot plant!! I have no idea how it didn't cut her mouth to pieces.

Growing up we had what Mom called a 'corn plant'. Later when I remembered it I looked it up and found a plant commonly called 'corn dracena'. It matched, I thought, and it looks very much like your plant. Details sound like it too. I'll see if I can find it again.

Obviously I misspelled dracaena.
Here's something similar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D...

Edited to add:
Here's the same plant in our database, but I don't remember the stripe on the foliage in Mom's. Nor do I see it in yours, Chris.
Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans)

I realize Wiki is not reliable but it was as close to the one I knew as I could find.

It certainly looks like some type of pandanus to me too. They can get 40' to 50' tall but there are others that seem to stay much smaller. I think there are many varieties. I have 4 of them in a line on my roof and I've been separating out the variegated ones because I like them better. They are a deterrent to anyone coming over the wall from the neighboring roof as those saw leaves will cut you up.

From mine, I think as long as you keep them in a pot they won't get too large. You can always remove the taller ones and just keep the pups.

The Corn plants don't have the serrated edges.

Thanks Hetty. I couldn't remember if they did or didn't.

Blood fight anyone?

http://www.balifornian.com/blo...

Ouch Janet!
Interesting.

Wow, thanks all. Jonna, it looks exactly like yours. In more sun mine gets white stripes and leaves that are almost completely white. I just don't have room to put it in front of a window right now. Janet - that is interesting, and I can believe it hurts!

Mine is in full sun on a hot, white roof but only some of the leaves get the white stripes. Every year I get to admire a set of really enormous pandanus which are in the yard of the immigration office here. I go to renew my visa and usually get to spend a few hours waiting outside with these giants. I've tried to take pictures of them every year but they are so large and I can't get far enough away from them (without getting in the middle of a busy street) to get them all in the frame. They tower over a 2 story colonial house with 18' ceilings so they are at least 40' tall. Most of the leaves are variegated but some are solid green. I'll try again in the fall when my visa is due for renewal

Wow, would love to see a picture if you ever get the chance!

I'll try It's usually hot, humid or raining and even if you have an appointment, there is always a wait. It's a beautiful old colonial house though, I've taken pictures inside as well. The chandeliers and the tiles are original although not well maintained. It's odd to see these 100 year old chandeliers that have been wired and now have curly florescent bulbs in them. There is a holding tank area behind the pandanus with sad people pacing the fence waiting to be deported. Expats here always have a story about being at migración when something weird happened.

I just got a start from Chris of the plant that she has. It does remind me of Pandan leaves, but the ones we have in Manila are darker green colored, and I do not remember it having serrated edges. Could be darker maybe because grown outdoors in much more heat.. But wow, it would be nice if this plant turns out to be actually the type of Pandan leaves we use when we cook steamed rice, the leaves add that yummy aroma like a vanilla scent woohoo! Have not seen fresh Pandan leaves here, only see them in Manila.