Fragrant Plants

[Hello1]

I think the male alone cannot flower. The fertilisation process requires both male and female. Maybe I might be wrong.

[aykhan]

So why again do we prefer the male? Isn't it the fragrance of the leaves used for cooking purposes? Is the kewra liquid used in cooking then from the male flower only and cannot be harvested from the leaves? Having some lack of knowledge issues here

[Tahir Khan]

So why again do we prefer the male?

Dr sb, patriarchal society

[Tahir Khan]

female fruits are edible I read somewhere. And they are more decorative, so female Pandanus are preferred rather than the male for decorative purposes in the gardens. Gender inequality as usual!

Farooq sb, the fruits are edible but the taste is not very pleasing and the flesh has to be cooked in order to consume... speaking of gender inequality we are a society that is always after shimmering stones.... so it is natural that beauty wins over brawn

[M Farooq]

I think the male alone cannot flower. The fertilisation process requires both male and female. Maybe I might be wrong.

You are right that fertilization requires both trees, but the plants can independently produce fruits and flowers. The fruit formation does indeed require the pollen reach the female flowers. And indeed the male kewra produces tons of pollen to be carried away by wind. We have papaya as another example.

[M Farooq]

So why again do we prefer the male? Isn't it the fragrance of the leaves used for cooking purposes? Is the kewra liquid used in cooking then from the male flower only and cannot be harvested from the leaves? Having some lack of knowledge issues here :(

Lets get the things sorted out:
All Pandanus have male and female trees as separate plants

Pandanus amaryfolius- has fragrant leaves when dried completely. Green leaves have no aroma at all. I have no idea about it's flowers or fragrance. Its usage is not known in our Pakistani culture.

Pandanus odoratisimus is what all of us are looking for, which is our elusive plant. The kewra liquid, almost exclusively synthetic nowadays, is neverthless distilled from the flowers of male Pandanus odoratisimus. The aroma of these synthetic oils, added in pulao or biryanis is rather repulsive to me. It is nowhere near the real flower.

female fruits are edible I read somewhere. And they are more decorative, so female Pandanus are preferred rather than the male for decorative purposes in the gardens. Gender inequality as usual!

Farooq sb, the fruits are edible but the taste is not very pleasing and the flesh has to be cooked in order to consume... speaking of gender inequality we are a society that is always after shimmering stones.... so it is natural that beauty wins over brawn :)

Good point. Didn't know that the fruit had to be cooked. I am always willing to try new foods :-)

[aykhan]

Interesting. I personally dislike foods with kewra so can't really remember the last time I tried it and don't even know the smell. Must be good though. If a smell is not liked in a certain food it likely doesn't mean it's a bad smell. After all who would argue with the fragrance of roses but imagine a rose biryani !!!

[M Farooq]

Interesting. I personally dislike foods with kewra so can't really remember the last time I tried it and don't even know the smell. Must be good though. If a smell is not liked in a certain food it likely doesn't mean it's a bad smell. After all who would argue with the fragrance of roses but imagine a rose biryani !!! :D

:-)...See we forgot about the poor flower and biryani came in. I am also against adding synthetic fragrances and dyes to food. Unknown dyes (such as zarday ka rang) are among most hazardous things one can ever add to foods. I have yet to know its identity...

[Khalid Abro]

Hi Farooq

I have been following up with my contact in Hamdard University for the Kevra plant but have had no success yet, the guy has tried to inquire from many sources in university but he has received no fruitful answer. Let's see how it goes as he says wait for few more days.

[M Farooq]

Hi Farooq

I have been following up with my contact in Hamdard University for the Kevra plant but have had no success yet, the guy has tried to inquire from many sources in university but he has received no fruitful answer. Let's see how it goes as he says wait for few more days.

Thanks Khalid! Alas, this is an elusive plant. One day inshallah we will find it.