Nprfolk Island Pine

[Brian McInturff]

So how do you distinguish this pine from all others and what makes it so much better.It looks like from different postings I've read that it's all up and down the east coast. I'd like to know what to look for since a lot of my jobs require some trees being brought down. A link to pics of the tree, needles etc. would be helpful. Thanks, Brian(cutting up holly today):)

[Dario Octaviano]

A simple search for "norfolk island pine" will result in multiple sites with pics

[Myrel Willeford]

It is not actually a pine here is a picture. Note all the branches start at the same place around the trunk.

Araucaria heterophylla

http://mud.mm-a6.yimg.com/image/2279232486 (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_RtqpXOdEhe8ATGKJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjb3ZrYjN kBHBvcwM0BHNlYwNzcg--/SIG=1i3pn3cbt/EXP=1156099625/**http%3a//images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view%3fback=http%253A%252F%252Fimages.search.yahoo .com%252Fsearch%252Fimages%253Fp%253Dnorfolk%252Bi sland%252Bpine%2526fr%253DFP-tab-img-t-t500%2526toggle%253D1%2526cop%253D%2526ei%253DUTF-8%2526vm%253Dr%26w=238%26h=360%26imgurl=www.calpol y.edu%252F%257Eenvhort%252FOH324%252Fgraphics%252F norfolk_island_pine.jpg%26rurl=http%253A%252F%252F www.calpoly.edu%252F%257Eenvhort%252FOH324%252Fnor folk_pine.htm%26size=44.3kB%26name=norfolk_island_ pine.jpg%26p=norfolk%2bisland%2bpine%26type=jpeg%2 6no=4%26tt=669%26ei=UTF-8)

[Gary DeWitt]

One of the interesting things about this timber is that when you turn an endgrain bowl or box and include the branch area, you get roughly evenly spaced knots around the perimiter of the piece.
I've seen this tree growing here around Los Angeles too, though of course it's an import. Also another pine that has the same branch structure but very different needles, don't know if it's related.

[Ian Abraham]

This is what a mature Norfolk Island Pine looks like.

Common import here in NZ too, it resists wind and salt spray and keeps it classic conical tree shape even in exposed locations. This one is probably about 100 years old, would be 4ft dia at the base and is growing in a park in New Plymouth. There several related species or Araucaria that grow around the South Pacific and they share a similar form. It's easy enough to tell them from true Pinus pine trees.

Cheers

Ian