imagineero
Addicted to ArboristSite
Sounds like guys in this thread have been talking about 4 completely different trees. Things get confusing with common names because many trees have different common names in different areas.
The true monkey puzzle tree is Araucaria araucana. Anyone who has been touched by it will never forget it. It looks soft, but it's sharp and prickly. The only thing worse than a live one is a dead one. Each leaf on a dead mokey puzzle is almust like a guitar plectrum, but with a sharp spikey tip. Mokey puzzle pictured below;
The second tree is the bunya pine, Aracaria bidwillii. These are native to australia, and grow quite a bit taller than the monkey puzzle. 150'+ is not uncommon. They're sometimes called a 'false monkey puzzle tree' because the leaves look similar, but touch them both side by side and there can be no misunderstanding. The bunya is quite soft. They are also recognisable by their enormous cones, which grow larger than a football and weigh up to 35lbs. Ouch. Foliage below;
The third and fourth tree being discussed in this thread are the cook pine (Araucaria columnaris) and the norfolk islad pine (Araucaria heterophylla). These last two are nothing at all like the first two, in the form of the overall tree or in the shape and distribution of leaves. The first two trees are large in the crown, while the last two taper. The norfolk is very 'christmas tree like' in appearance, and the leaves are soft and brittle. They make a god awful mess. They're an easy take down, except for the white sap which glues your hair. They have a single leader and are scaffolded and symmetrical, with branches in whorls. The trouble is, all the foliage falls off. It's not unusual to have to cleanup 20 tarp loads of foliage on an average take down. 3 feet deep, everywhere. Foliage of norfolk shown below;
I can't comment on the cook pine so much. Ive seen them but never worked in one. They look similar to the norfolk in bark, foliage and overall form. I'd have a hard time picking them apart.
Shaun
The true monkey puzzle tree is Araucaria araucana. Anyone who has been touched by it will never forget it. It looks soft, but it's sharp and prickly. The only thing worse than a live one is a dead one. Each leaf on a dead mokey puzzle is almust like a guitar plectrum, but with a sharp spikey tip. Mokey puzzle pictured below;
The second tree is the bunya pine, Aracaria bidwillii. These are native to australia, and grow quite a bit taller than the monkey puzzle. 150'+ is not uncommon. They're sometimes called a 'false monkey puzzle tree' because the leaves look similar, but touch them both side by side and there can be no misunderstanding. The bunya is quite soft. They are also recognisable by their enormous cones, which grow larger than a football and weigh up to 35lbs. Ouch. Foliage below;
The third and fourth tree being discussed in this thread are the cook pine (Araucaria columnaris) and the norfolk islad pine (Araucaria heterophylla). These last two are nothing at all like the first two, in the form of the overall tree or in the shape and distribution of leaves. The first two trees are large in the crown, while the last two taper. The norfolk is very 'christmas tree like' in appearance, and the leaves are soft and brittle. They make a god awful mess. They're an easy take down, except for the white sap which glues your hair. They have a single leader and are scaffolded and symmetrical, with branches in whorls. The trouble is, all the foliage falls off. It's not unusual to have to cleanup 20 tarp loads of foliage on an average take down. 3 feet deep, everywhere. Foliage of norfolk shown below;
I can't comment on the cook pine so much. Ive seen them but never worked in one. They look similar to the norfolk in bark, foliage and overall form. I'd have a hard time picking them apart.
Shaun
