Araucaria Species, Cook's Pine, Coral Reef Araucaria, New Caledonian Pine

The furthest north i’ve seen this species of Araucaria grown successfully on the west coast of the US is Brookings Oregon surprisingly....Read More Brookings is in zone 9b/ bordering 10a and has cool summers in the high 60’s and 70’s and mild, WET winters with lows in the 40’s. This plant can be grown in a cooler maritime climates if the right conditions are given, and micro climates are considered. There are two specimens in the Brookings/ Harbor area that I know of, and both are probably over 10 years old. They both look perfectly green throughout the winter, with little to no damage. They both even both have the perfect tilt towards the equator like this species tends to do. They where grown in full sun and south facing to maximize sun exposure.

Cook's Pine is native to New Caledonia in the southwestern Pacific.

I rate it neutral b/c I bought it at Christmas time ...Read Moreat Home Depot hoping to plant it outdoors after the holiday season. I subsequently learned it would not survive outdoors in cold climates. I felt duped. I should have bought a pine native to my region.

both this and a. heterophylla grown here in Hawaii. Very similar especially when young.

These trees are about the only commonly grown Araucaria from New Caledonia (known for its variety of Araucarias) and probably the most co...Read Moremmonly grown species of Araucaria overall... though no one would know it. 98% of all Norfolk Island Pines (Araucaria heterophylla) sold in the USA are actually this species and NOT A heterophylla. See the Araucaria heterophylla page in the Plantfiles to more discussion on the differences. But basically this is a miniature tree in comparison in true Araucaria heterophyllas... these have narrow silhouettes and closely spaced branches while Araucaria heterophylla is truly a massive trees with spreads of nearly 20'-30' feet at the base (branch tip to branch tip) while A columnaris is more like 10' (or less sometimes). Branches on A heterophylla are strikingly equidistant and usually several feet to up to 6' apart along up the trunk. A heterophylla has a triangular silhouette, while A columnaris is nearly columnar (while still being a narrow triangle).

The branches of this tree are covered with leaves so densely packed that they look like small hanging cords. It's a good tree in warmer areas where a really tall and somewhat unusual conifer is needed.