Is this the tallest tree in South Florida?

[Mandrew968]

I have been looking for a good while now. Of course, it could be lurking somewhere else and I have never seen it--the tallest tree in South Florida. In a neighborhood (on the other side of the train tracks) I pass everyday to get to work, I always see these Araucaria columnaris towering above everything! I would estimate the height to be 120' or 130' tall. There is a concrete fixture down the street from these two that is 100' and these guys are quite a bit taller. Notice the chain link fence under the pines--that is maybe a couple inches better than 6'. Has anyone seen any trees taller than these? I would be surprised if it were any other tree besides Araucaria columnaris, but not surprised if there was a tree taller than these...

[Daryl]

They obviously like it there... 

[tropicbreeze]

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Edited October 22, 2016 by tropicbreeze
Wrong post

[Zeeth]

It's hard to say with certainty what the tallest tree in South Florida is due to how the champion tree registry determines champion trees. There's no seperate category for height, and girth matters quite a bit, so the national champion Roystonea regia, for example, is an 82' tall one in the Fakahatchee with a very girthy trunk, rather than the thinner 100' tall ones nearby.

That said, there's a Terminalia superba at Flamingo Gardens measured at 134'. 

http://championtrees.freshfromflorida.com/home.mvc/Detail/1058

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that Araucaria columnaris has an entry in the champion tree registry, but it's maximum height in habitat is listed at 200'. Who knows if it can reach that height in Florida due to lightning and hurricanes.

[Mandrew968]

They do include Araucaria in the Champions determination, but I don't know where the Aracauria columnaris Champion is and how big...

[Matthew92]

Wonder if that is from one tree or more? Regardless, looks like they branched a lot when they were young. Some people really hate them, but I think they're one of the coolest trees around. I'm dying to try an Araucaria angustifolia up here in the Panhandle.

[Zeeth]

Araucaria luxurians is the only Araucaria listed in the online database for Florida champion trees. 

[Scott Cohen]

There are several ficus in coral gables that are close to that size

[Tropicgardener]

Here are some in their natural habitat in Lifou, New Caledonia (roughly the same latitude as here).

[Josh-O]

17 hours ago, Tropicgardener said:

Here are some in their natural habitat in Lifou, New Caledonia (roughly the same latitude as here).

awesome picture !

[Mandrew968]

Oh yeah it is! How many people were looking for the Lifou palm?! I was... but prolly too small to be seen. Pritchardia, I think I see...

[Mandrew968]

On 10/24/2016, 11:48:12, Opal92 said:

Wonder if that is from one tree or more? Regardless, looks like they branched a lot when they were young. Some people really hate them, but I think they're one of the coolest trees around. I'm dying to try an Araucaria angustifolia up here in the Panhandle.

My picture is of two trees planted close together. 

[Tropicgardener]

1 hour ago, Mandrew968 said:

Oh yeah it is! How many people were looking for the Lifou palm?! I was... but prolly too small to be seen. Pritchardia, I think I see...

I only saw one Cyphophoenix nucele on Lifou............ I was on a cruise ship and only spent a day on the island so no time to really explore the place.

[Mr.SamuraiSword]

ive never seen one of those that tall.  I know that royals can reach 120ft but ive never seen one over 70ft.  could these washingtonia in florida be around that height?

[Mandrew968]

These are the trees at 12 o'clock.