Araucaria columnaris (G. Forst.) Hook. | |
Araucariaceae | |
Cook pine / Christmas Tree | |
| Botanical Name | Araucaria columnaris (G. Forst.) Hook. |
| Synonyms | Araucaria lavoixii Silba; Araucaria cookii R.Br. ex Endl. |
| Family | Araucariaceae |
| Common Name | English: Cook pine, Christmas tree / Tamil: Christmas tree |
| Distribution | Global: Native to America and Pacific Islands. Introduced as ornamental in Temperate and stropical countries. Indian: Throughout India |
| Description | Narrowly conical tree grows up to 30-60m height, bark dark brown, rough, papery and peeling off in to thin strips, resin present. The horizontal branches are in whorls around the upright trunk. The branchlets are covered with small incurved, pointed tip, spirally arranged overlapping leaves. Young leaves are needle like and matured leaves are broader, triangular and scale like. Male cones are smaller, numerous at the tip of the branchlets, they scaly and foxtail like in appearance. Female cones are egg shaped, scally and large found on the upper branchlets. |
| Flowering Fruiting period | October - December |
| Uses | Cultivated in garden for its conical Arche structure. |
| Medicinal Uses | Plants used in the treatment of respiratory infection, rheumatism and ulcer dieses. It also possesses antimicrobial, neuro-protective, antiviral and anticoagulant properties. |
| Tamil Name | Cook pine / Christmas Tree |