Kiekie
Freycinetia banksii

Family: Pandanaceae

What it is like

A woody climber. It attaches to the trunk of trees by roots. It grows 30 m tall. The leaves are yellow-green. They are 150 cm long by 2-2.5 cm wide. They are crowded in bunches at the ends of the branched stems. The leaves are arranged in spirals. The male and female flowers are separate. The flowers have sweet smelling edible bracts. The female flowers are in cylinder shaped spikes. The fruit are yellowish berries. They are edible.

Where it is found

It is a warm temperate plant. It grows in coastal and lowland forests. It is common in swamp forests and gullies. It grows in shady places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Indonesia, New Zealand (country/location of origin), SE Asia

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit, flower bracts

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or cuttings.

Plants only flower every 7 to 10 years.

Its other names

Local names

Pandan kiki

Synonyms

Freycinetia baueriana subsp. banksii (A. Cunn.) B. C. Stone; Freycinetia inclinans R. Br. & Benn.;