Cook Pine Araucaria Columnaris

[mwardlow]

Anyone know where I can purchase a Cook Pine (Araucaria Columnaris) from New Caledonia? I need to make sure it's NOT Norfolk Pine (Araucaria  Heterophylla) aka Star Pine.

There is a guy in Texas that has 6 inch for sale but I'm getting to old to watch a 6 inch plant grow.

Thanks

Mike

[Xenon]

Anywhere in Texas or Florida selling "Norfolk" pine should be fine...I have NEVER seen A. heterophylla in Texas or Florida, only A. columnaris and it's a very common landscape plant. 

[Reyes Vargas]

42 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Anywhere in Texas or Florida selling "Norfolk" pine should be fine...I have NEVER seen A. heterophylla in Texas or Florida, only A. columnaris and it's a very common landscape plant. 

So those decorated trees they sell as Norfolk island pine during Christmas are actually cook pines?

Edited May 29, 2023 by Reyes Vargas

[Xenon]

11 minutes ago, Reyes Vargas said:

So those decorated trees they sell as Norfolk island pine during Christmas are actually cook pines?

Yes. I've only seen the real "Norfolk pine" in California and even there Cook pine seems more common. OP should have no problem getting Cook pine locally...just ignore any label or assurance and go by phenotype. The two species look very different, A. heterophylla has a much more open growth pattern. 

[philinsydney]

Some real Norfolk island pines

[mwardlow]

 

Xenon, your comments got me to do more research. I found this article on Dave's Garden. Looks like 99 percent of all Norfolk and Star Pines sold are actually Cook Pines.

Entrenched Nursery Identification Errors: Araucaria Heterophylla

Thanks

Mike