With salt glands on the leaves, Cuban bast can excrete excess salt and survive in regions of high salinity. They are also fast-growing and resistant to wind. They are planted near the coast as wind shelter.
In the old days, people in Taiwan used the large leaves to wrap dumplings or hold them like a plate. These dumplings were used to treat relatives and friends during Chinese New Year.
Conservation & Importance
IUCN Red List: Least Concern
Cuban bast is a native tree species in Hong Kong. The leaves can feed the caterpillars of a butterfly called chestnut angle. The leaf secretion is the food of weaver ants, and the seeds can be eaten by cotton stainer bugs.