How much sunlight does a norfolk island pine need? Scientists study salt tolerance genes to help improve crops to grow in poor or previously-ocean-flooded soils. This is unusual amongst plants, and makes the Norfolks a potential plant for genetic study for identifying salt-tolerance mechanisms. In fact, their propensity for growing in perfectly geometric shapes and patterns has given them the nickname "monkey puzzle trees."Īs an added bonus, Norfolk Island Pines have evolved to be salt tolerant from growing on tropical islands with frequent ocean flooding. Plus, their quirky yet symmetrical shape makes the Norfolk Island Pine a fun, live alternative to the traditional Christmas Tree, or in addition to. ![]() So it comes as no surprise why these cone-bearing tropical trees are great houseplants-their tropical nature makes them a fit for indoor conditions year round. In fact, Norfolks have been on the earth for millions of years before pines even evolved. Although most cone-bearing trees like pines are better adapted for cold conditions, the Norfolk Island Pine, or Araucaria heterophylla, is a tropical plant. This ancient lineage of trees would have been lost to history during the Cretaceous Extinction Event, the same one that killed the dinosaurs and 75% of life on Earth, if it were not for a few members of the species surviving on Norfolk Island.ĭespite its common name, the Norfolk Island Pine is not even a pine at all, but rather part of a more ancient lineage of cone-bearing trees in the family, Araucariaceae. Over 50 of the Island’s native plants are endemic-they do not exist naturally anywhere else in the world. Norfolk Island is a significant place for botanists because it is one of the only islands left in the world with several surviving fossil species. ![]() ![]() The Norfolk Island Pine hails from Norfolk Island, a small island in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia.
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