Subject: Norfolk Pines

From: Steve Webb <[email-masked]>
Date: 24 Jun 1996 21:11:01 GMT

The Wairoa District Council ( New Zealand ) is to undertake 
work on a stand of 80 Norfolk Pines. Before doing this work it 
wishes to obtain more information about Norfolk Pines eg growth 
rates, maximum heights, diseases, spacing etc. Any response 
would be appreciated.

Regards

Kevin Atkin

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From: [email-masked] (Maren Purves)
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 1996 01:46:00 GMT

[email-masked] (william Jacobs) writes:
>In article <[email-masked]>, Steve Webb <[email-masked]> wrote:
>> Kevin Atkin:   In Florida USA we have what is called a Norfolk island Pine.
>Araucaria Heterophylla. Is this the same thing.

People use them as Christmas trees here in Hawaii, but also for
windbreak. 

Growth rates: I've seen a foot a year in small ones
Maximum height: don't know, 80 feet?
Spacing: they are not exactly wide trees, depends on what you want to
do with them, whether you want them actually separate or whether the
windbreak property is more important than looks.
Diseases: absolutely no idea.

Maren Purves,
in Hilo, HI

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From: [email-masked] (eric arentz)
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 1996 23:41:55 +0100

> rates, maximum heights, diseases, spacing etc. Any response 

I've seen Norfolk Pines in Napier, NZ and Kauai,HI; although plants at
both locations are Araucaria Heterophylla, they look like different
plants. I consider the trees along the coast in Napier as fine specimens;
good branch spacing( no crossing/rubbing limbs), good spread( lowest limbs
are full length not prunned except when properly removed to just outside
the tree 'shoulder') and excellent height ( 60 feet maybe taller since i'm
not good with heights). Now the trees in Kauai were in poor shape due to
damage I believe from a huricane in 92. All the original branches were
blown off. New branches  have grown to 3 maybe 4 feet but multiple braches
are sprouting which lead to weaker limbs later on. Seeing how Norfolk
Pines can survive hurricane conditions shows me that they are resilient
and should respond well to general arborist guidelines. The foremost rule
of thumb is DO NOT top trees or remove the central leader, if the central
leader is removed the subsequent branches that sprout have narrow angles
and break more easily creating safetu hazards. Second, uplimbing( removal
of entire branches to trunk but not inside shoulder ) is acceptable and
helps maintain new shoot growth at the top of the plant. 

Amanda Lewis
Greenhouse/ Lab Technician
Environmental Horticulture
Univeristy of California, Davis