Back

Araucaria columnaris (J.R.Forst.) Hook.

Family Name:	Araucariaceae
Synonyms:	Araucaria cookii R.Br. ex Endl., Araucaria excelsa (Lamb.) R.Br., Araucaria intermedia R.Br. ex Vieill., Araucaria neocaledonica Linden ex Regel, Araucaria lavoixii Silba, Columbea excelsa (Lamb.) Spreng., Cupressus columnaris G.Forst., Dombeya excelsa Lamb., Eutacta cookii Carrière, Eutacta excelsa (Lamb.) Link, Eutacta humilis Carrière, Eutacta minor Carrière, Eutassa columnaris (G.Forst.) de Laub.
Common Name:	New Caledonia Pine, Cook Pine, Cook's Araucaria, 南洋彬

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Herb or Spice

Coastal Plant

Suitable for Roadsides

Drought Tolerant

Tree

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Gymnosperms (Non-Flowering Seed Plants) (Conifer)
Plant Growth Form	Tree (Medium (16m-30m))
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Plant Shape	Conical
Maximum Height	25 m to 30 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	New Caledonia
Preferred Climate Zone	Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal, Temperate

Description and Ethnobotany

Others - Plant Morphology	Tall evergreen conifer. Crown narrowly columnar, with branches set perpendicular and in whorls around trunk. Trunk has tendency to curve or lean, giving tree a dramatic silhouette. Bark dark brown, rough and papery, peeling off in thin strips. Leaves dark green, small and needle-like (0.5-1.0cm long), closely-overlapping and spiralling densely around twigs, giving branchlet an appearance of a plaited cord. Tree sheds whole branchlets rather than individual leaves. Cones produced at branch tips, male and female cones found on separate trees. Male cones cylindrical, pollen-bearing. Female cones (or seed cones) larger and broader, ovoid, woody with spiny cone scales, mature from green to brown, before disintegrating to disperse seeds. Seeds nutlike, triangular, with membranous wings. Cones and seeds seldom produced in Singapore. Fast-growing, drought-resistant tree suitable for parks, gardens or grown singly as specimen plant. Seldom grown along roadsides, as soot and dust tend to cover fine leaves. Named after Captain James Cook, who discovered plant on Isle of Pines in New Caledonia.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Food (Herb or Spice) Others: Young potted trees can be used as Christmas tree substitute in tropical regions. Also commonly planted as timber tree elsewhere for its lightweight softwood, decorative and straw-coloured, used to make furniture and bowls. Seeds are edible.

Others - Plant Morphology

Tall evergreen conifer. Crown narrowly columnar, with branches set perpendicular and in whorls around trunk. Trunk has tendency to curve or lean, giving tree a dramatic silhouette. Bark dark brown, rough and papery, peeling off in thin strips. Leaves dark green, small and needle-like (0.5-1.0cm long), closely-overlapping and spiralling densely around twigs, giving branchlet an appearance of a plaited cord. Tree sheds whole branchlets rather than individual leaves. Cones produced at branch tips, male and female cones found on separate trees. Male cones cylindrical, pollen-bearing. Female cones (or seed cones) larger and broader, ovoid, woody with spiny cone scales, mature from green to brown, before disintegrating to disperse seeds. Seeds nutlike, triangular, with membranous wings. Cones and seeds seldom produced in Singapore. Fast-growing, drought-resistant tree suitable for parks, gardens or grown singly as specimen plant. Seldom grown along roadsides, as soot and dust tend to cover fine leaves. Named after Captain James Cook, who discovered plant on Isle of Pines in New Caledonia.

Ethnobotanical Uses

Food (Herb or Spice)
Others: Young potted trees can be used as Christmas tree substitute in tropical regions. Also commonly planted as timber tree elsewhere for its lightweight softwood, decorative and straw-coloured, used to make furniture and bowls. Seeds are edible.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Fruits
Landscape Uses	Container Planting, General, Suitable for Roadsides, Coastal, Focal Plant

SGMP Treatment

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Moderate

Rootzone Tolerance	Saline Soils / Salt Spray, Disease / Pest Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils
Maintenance Requirements	Low
Propagation Method	Seed

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Thick

Foliar Modification	Reduced / Needle-like
Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Spiral
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Linear)
Foliar Margin	Entire
Typical Foliar Area	Nanophyll ( 0.25cm2 - 2.25 cm2 )
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	2.5 (Tree - Open Canopy)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Trunk Type (Non Palm)	Woody
Bark Colour(s)	Greyish brown
Mature Bark Texture	Peeling / Flaking / Papery

Stem Type & Modification	Woody
Root Type	Underground (Tap Root, Fibrous Root)
Mature Bark Texture Remarks	Rough, papery bark that peels off in thin strips

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality

Unisexual Flowers , Dioecious

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Brown
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Indehiscent Dry Fruit

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	1428
Species ID	2721
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.