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Pandanus, Hala, Thatch Screwpine
Pandanus tectorius
22.2115, -159.542
Field Notes
Description:
This cool tree is endemic to Hawaii, and this one was spotted on the northernmost (except for one) island, Kauai. The trunks and leaves resemble a palm, although they aren't related. This one was about 30' tall but I've seen taller. The "prop roots" flare out from the base like fingers to support the heavy top which makes fruits that look like pineapples. Ancient hawaiians used the pandanus for everything from food to mats to paintbrushes made from dried frayed fruits
Habitat:
One of the largest hala (pandanus) groves in Hawaii once grew where Princeville now stands.. The grove was celebrated in many chants and stories. The presence of the tree indicated that there were abundant water sources,
Notes:
Tapa cloth was once painted using the frayed ends of the woody pandanus fruits. I tried this, using some red mud I'd scraped up alongside the road, in my sketchbook. See the sketch above.
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