Norfolk Island Pine Plants Green Stock Photography

Araucaria heterophylla & x28;synonym A. excelsa& x29; is a species of conifer. As its vernacular name Norfolk Island pine & x28;or Norfolk pine& x29; 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 & x28;about 700 km or 430 mi due north of Norfolk Island& x29; where 13 closely related and similar-appearing species 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.