Pandan in Sydney - Where to buy Pandan?

Where to buy Pandan?

So I was walking around Cabramatta, Sydney on the weekend and I saw a shop that had the pandan plant for sale (also called daun pandan, pandanus amaryllifolius, screwpine).  The shop is located near the multi storey car park in Cabramatta.  He’s selling it for $35.  It's very difficult to find the pandan plant in Sydney and he had two pandans for sale, I purchased one and he said that he would have more in a couple of weeks.

If I successfully propagate mine, I’ll try to make some available. For those interested, please leave a comment.

If you know of any other places where you can buy Pandan in Sydney please share and leave comment.

Here is the picture of the Pandan Plant I bought.

Check out www.mypandan.com for info about how to care for your pandan plant.

Laksa Plant

To grow your own daun kesum is a great way to start a herb garden. Daun kesum is an essential ingredient for making laksa. Without daun kesum, there is no way your laksa can be complete. At some places in Malaysia, daun kesum is refered to as "daun laksa" or laksa leaves. The English name for it is most probably Vietnamese mint but I am not really sure because the real Vietnamese mint is maybe slightly different but still belongs to the same family. Daun kesum is a member of the mint family.

The leaves are elongated, with soft stalk, each segment of the stalk has the potential to grow into another bunch of mint leaves because roots sprout from the stalk itself.

The leaves are green and will turn yellow and then brown when they start withering. The stalks will grow and grow if you let them but usually I trim the tips to let them branch out. 

The herb needs very little maintenance except for enough water to ensure the earth it is planted in is always damp. Oh yes, also plenty of sunlight. You can place the herb pot at the window sill or if you have a balcony, place it there. It grows well in your backyard too.

Fertilizer made of compost is good for the leaves. Old wives have this tip to nourish your herbs: use the bloody water that remained after washing and gutting your fish to spray on the leaves and earth, it is supposed to be full of nutrients for plant. Do this treatment every two weeks or so.

Daun kesum grows very fast. Given good care and enough water, within a week you can already have a bunch filling up your ice-cream tub already. 

Among all the herbs in my garden, vietnamese mint is the easiest to grow. They like lots of water and i feed them seasol or charlie carp once every 3 weeks or less. They grow really well whether under direct sunlight or shade. They hardly have any pest invasion of any kind. Yeah I harvest them by cutting off stems rather than pinch off leaves..They are good is Asian food such as spicy laksa and vietnamese rolls..love their 'spicy' taste.

If you can find a store that stocks this plant and you would like to get your hands on it, drop me a message below.  I’m in Sydney.

Where to buy a Pandan Plant in Sydney

Buying a Pandan Plant?

Aka Pandanus Amaryllifolius, Screwpine, Daun Pandan

If your living in Sydney and looking to buy a Pandan plant, I will most likely have some in December 2010.  I will update this blog to let you know if I have some.


Update (24 Jan 2011): I have just bought a plant in Cabramatta, Sydney see Pandan in Sydney - Where to buy Pandan? for more details. See www.myPandan.com for info about caring for your pandan.

Otherwise you could contact:

Canley Vale Nursery – 62-68 Canley Vale Rd Canley Vale – 02 9723 2688

            They may have some stock in September (2010)

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Bonnyrigg Garden Centre – Corner Elizabeth Dr and Wilson Rd Bonnyrigg Heights – 02 9610 5366

            They may have some stock in October (2010)

View Larger Map

I haven’t bought any from these stores, so I can’t comment on the plants they will have, but I found all this out by calling around.

Please let me know if you know other places around Sydney or NSW that sell Pandan (Pandanus Amaryllifolius)

Pandanus amaryllifolius

aka Pandan, Screwpine, Daun Pandan

I love the smell of pandan and I think its great in foods.  I bought some fresh pandan’s from my local markets and tried to grow it but was unsuccessful so I decided to research on how it is grown.  This is what I’ve found…

Pandan is a tropical plant often used in Southeast Asian cooking

You can grow pandan by propogating through water.  Let you pandan plant sit in water until roots grow and change the water regularly.

Pandan usually grows in tropical weather.  It takes plenty of care and attention.  If you are growing them in winter or in colder places, you need to cover them from wind and rain and don’t water them too much – they may start to suffer below 15 deg.  Some die not only because of the cold but because of receiving excess water.  You can shade the plant from wind and rain with a cloth and be sure not to get water on the crown of the plant.  Watering once a week is good with seasol clost to the base of the plant.

If you life in regions that experience cold months, its recommened that you grow your pandan plant in a pot so they are portable

Pandan does to like to be in full sun, so plant them were it will get some shade during the day.  In summer, you can water your plant much more. 

In the right conditions, when the plant is well established, it will grow well and spread.

For more info on pandan care and how to propagate pandan, visit www.mypandan.com

Where to buy pandan? click here

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/forum/pandanus-amaryllifolius/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandanus_amaryllifolius