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"true" Araucaria heterophylla

fastfeat

By fastfeat
in TROPICAL LOOKING PLANTS - Other Than Palms

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fastfeat Grand Master

fastfeat

Posted
Posted

This is the "real" Norfolk Island Pine, Araucaria heterophylla, growing just a couple of blocks from the water in Malibu. They grow arrow-straight, despite constant buffeting from ocean winds. (Most trees sold as such in CA and FL are actually the smaller, oft-twisted A. columnaris.)

Ara_het2.jpg

Ara_het4.jpg

Ara_het1.jpg

SoCal and SoFla; zone varies by location.

'Home is where the heart suitcase is'...

_____

"If, as they say, there truly is no rest for the wicked, how can the Devil's workshop be filled with idle hands?"

Eric in Orlando Grand Master

Eric in Orlando

Posted
Posted

They also look to have more flattened foliage and more open. Chad gave us a small one a couple years ago thats growing well. Its amazing how long this has been misidentified as common as the trees are in cultivation.

Eric

Orlando, FL

zone 9b/10a

ThunderSRQ Rising Star

ThunderSRQ

Posted
Posted

Does this one lose it limbs in ("extreme") high wind events? I've always really liked the "Norfolk Island pines" I've seen here in Florida except after theyv'e been hit hard by wind -- they then look very bad for a very long time.

Tim

Sarasota, Florida USA (zone 9B) - 1 acre with approx. 91 types of palms & many other plants/trees

My two favorite palms are Teddy Bears and Zombies... zombieteddybear2-compressed.jpg

DoomsDave Grand Master

DoomsDave

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the education!

All of the "NIP" in my 'hood are mis-id'd . . . .

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

Jerry@TreeZoo Grand Master

Jerry@TreeZoo

Posted
Posted

I do not know if I agree with that. Having seen A. columnaris in New Caledonia I can tell you that they look just like their name says - columns. They do not have that pyramidal shape but they are a bit bent in the winds though. A. heterophylla is what I have been told we have here in Floriduh so I'm sticking with that. Besides, heterophylla means "different leaf" and that is just what happens under different conditions. Too much nitrogen can cause very long stretches between branches. Different water, temp and light levels also produce different looks.

If you examine hurricane damaged "heterophyllas" here, you notice that the top of the tree, which is relatively supple,is wider than lower branches. This is because in high winds, lower branches cannot bend and usually break off at the trunk, while the top, being supple, bends in the winds and is relatively unharmed. In columnaris, they resemble hurricane damaged heterophylla except they have an equally narrow canopy that is not wider at the top than the bottom.

A. columnaris

post-106-12768085155991_thumb.jpg

So many species,

so little time.

Coconut Creek, Florida

Zone 10b (Zone 11 except for once evey 10 or 20 years)

Last Freeze: 2011,50 Miles North of Fairchilds

Jerry@TreeZoo Grand Master

Jerry@TreeZoo

Posted
Posted

A. columnaris

post-106-12768086099508_thumb.jpg

So many species,

so little time.

Coconut Creek, Florida

Zone 10b (Zone 11 except for once evey 10 or 20 years)

Last Freeze: 2011,50 Miles North of Fairchilds

Kumar Veteran

Kumar

Posted
Posted

Jerry, What is the part you do not agree with ?

____________________

Kumar

Bombay, India

Sea Level | Average Temperature Range 23 - 32 deg. celsius | Annual rainfall 3400.0 mm

Calcutta, India

Sea Level | Average Temperature Range 19 - 33 deg. celsius | Annual rainfall 1600.0 mm

Jerry@TreeZoo Grand Master

Jerry@TreeZoo

Posted
Posted

I disagree that the Florida trees are columnaris. I think they are heterophylla.

So many species,

so little time.

Coconut Creek, Florida

Zone 10b (Zone 11 except for once evey 10 or 20 years)

Last Freeze: 2011,50 Miles North of Fairchilds

Geoff Mentor

Geoff

Posted
Posted

from what I understand over 95% of Norfolk Island Pines sold in the US are in fact A columnaris, and A heterophyllas are rather rare. I see them here and there in Los Angeles, but easily 95% are columnaris... if not 99%. I am not sure how this misidentification first started, but it's so rampant in the nursery industry that is going to take a long time to convince those selling and growing these trees that they do not have what they think they have. As very young plants (even 15 gal) they are virtually identical... but then you can start seeing the differences (as illustrated in the photos above). Hybridization may be part of the problem, but true, pure A heterophyllas are quite uncommon.

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