Norfolk Island pine is endemic to lowland areas of Norfolk Island. It is widely planted as an ornamental and avenue tree throughout the subtropics and tropics.In Uganda it s usually grown as an ornamental tree in public parks and even compounds in either pots or on ground. Growth rate is reported as being fast, however will be dependent on nursery production method, landscape site conditions and after-care maintenance. In Kampala, Norfolk Island pine can be found within Makerere University, Kitante courts, Sheraton gardens, along Clement hill road, Nakasero hill road among other places.

Norfolk Island pine is an evergreen tree with a narrow, elongate, pyramidal crown comprised of regular tiers of short, horizontal, spreading branches; it can grow up to 65 meters tall in its native habitat, but is likely to be much smaller grown elsewhere. The straight, cylindrical bole is usually 40 - 60cm in diameter, with some old trees said to be up to 300cm; there are swellings or small buttresses at the base.

BARK: gray-brown, exfoliating in fine scales. Branches in a flat horizontal plane, sometimes pendent, branchlets in whorls of 4-7.

LEAVES: dimorphic, juvenile leaves awl-shaped, incurved, green, needle-like, to 1.2 cm. long. Adult leaves scale-like, 4-5 mm. long, incurved, densely arranged, bright dark green; on fertile branchlets overlapping, broadly ovate, spine-tipped, 6 mm. long by 4-6 mm. wide.

FLOWERS:

FRUIT: male cone in clusters, elongated, 4 cm. long, yellowish-brown or reddish; microsporophylls acute, margins ciliate, denticulate. Female cone broader than long, 12-15 cm. long, with triangular scales and a long incurved bract. Seeds 2.5-3 cm. long by 1.2 cm. wide, with broad wings. Cotyledons 4, epigeal".

Small saplings are used as environmentally friendly christmas trees, since they can be kept as houseplants, or planted in the open, after the holiday.

Provides quality wood, good for turning, it is used extensively by craftspeople.

An ornamental tree.

Edible: seeds are eaten raw or cooked. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Araucaria+heterophylla