Uncategorized Araucaria Excelsa Seeds

Araucaria Excelsa Seeds



Araucariai Excelsa (synonym A. excelsa) is a species of conifer. As its vernacular name Norfolk Island pine (or Norfolk pine) implies, the tree is endemic to Norfolk Island, an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia. It is not a true pine, which belong to the genus Pinus in the family Pinaceae, but instead is a member of the genus Araucaria in the family Araucariaceae, which also contains the hoop pine. Members of Araucaria occur across the South Pacific, especially concentrated in New Caledonia (about 700 km or 430 mi due north of Norfolk Island), where 13 closely related species of similar appearance are found. It is sometimes called a star pine, Polynesian pine, triangle tree or living Christmas tree, due to its symmetrical shape as a sapling.

History

The first European known to have sighted Norfolk Island was Captain James Cook. In 1774, on his second voyage to the South Pacific in HMS Resolution, Cook noted the presence of large forests of tall, straight trees that appeared to be suitable for use as masts and yards for sailing ships. However, when the island was occupied in 1788 by convicts transported from Britain, it was found that Norfolk Island pine trees were not resilient enough for such use and the idea was abandoned.

In the late 1950s, a trial shipment of Norfolk pine logs was sent to plywood manufacturers in Sydney, New South Wales, with the hope of developing a timber export industry on Norfolk Island. Although the plywood companies reported excellent results, the industry was deemed not sustainable by the Norfolk Island Advisory Council, which decided to reserve timber production for local use. The timber is good for woodturning and, together with the similar Cook pine, is extensively used by Hawaiian artisans.

Description:

The tree is slow growing and can reach a height of 50–65 m (160–210 ft), with straight vertical trunks and symmetrical branches, even in the face of incessant onshore winds that can contort most other species. From the straight trunk, it emits five almost horizontal or slightly oblique branches, forming floors; the plane of each floor is a perfect pentagon. If kept indoors, the tree remains smaller. The grey-brown bark falls off in fine scales. The branchlets are four to seven in regular whorls.

The young leaves are soft and awl-shaped, 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 in) long, about 1 mm (0.04 in) thick at the base on young trees, and incurved, 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and variably 2–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) broad on older trees. The thickest, scale-like leaves on coning branches are in the upper crown. The cones are squat globose, 10–12 cm (4–5 in) long and 12–14 cm (5–6 in) diameter, and take about 18 months to mature. They disintegrate at maturity to release the nut-like edible seeds. The seeds have a length of 2.5 to 3 cm (1.0 to 1.2 in) and a diameter of about 1.2 cm (0.5 in) with wide wings. There are four cotyledons present. It is a dioecious tree (male and female flowers in different plants), although it can also be monoecious.

Fresh Seeds are available with us

Wholesale Price: 2.20 USD C&F

Minimum Order 100kg

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