Comments on: Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine) http://treelogic.com.au/facts/2008/12/araucaria-heterophylla-norfolk-island-pine/ Arboricultural Consultants Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:19:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: James Martens-Mullaly http://treelogic.com.au/facts/2008/12/araucaria-heterophylla-norfolk-island-pine/comment-page-1/#comment-2384 James Martens-Mullaly Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:55:24 +0000 http://treelogic.com.au/facts/?p=215#comment-2384 Katie, There are several reasons why your may have sparse foliage in the upper canopy however, without having seen the tree I can only offer the following. The appearance of a sparse upper canopy is the typical look of a healthy Norfolk Island Pine, the result of its its natural habit. The trees develop a single trunk around which regularly spaced whorls of branches emanate. The branches are initially short but elongate with age thus providing the classical conical silhouette, a defining feature of the species. So when looking through the canopy of a Norfolk Island Pine the lower portion inevitably appears denser than the upper portion. This is due to due to greater volumes of foliage volumes present on increasingly longer branches the lower down you look. Conversely, the tree could be under stress that is causing the thinning of foliage in the upper canopy, though unless the stress is common to all trees in the area which you mentioned appeared similar, then it is likely a result of the the natural pattern of growth. Regards, James Katie,
There are several reasons why your may have sparse foliage in the upper canopy however, without having seen the tree I can only offer the following. The appearance of a sparse upper canopy is the typical look of a healthy Norfolk Island Pine, the result of its its natural habit. The trees develop a single trunk around which regularly spaced whorls of branches emanate. The branches are initially short but elongate with age thus providing the classical conical silhouette, a defining feature of the species. So when looking through the canopy of a Norfolk Island Pine the lower portion inevitably appears denser than the upper portion. This is due to due to greater volumes of foliage volumes present on increasingly longer branches the lower down you look.

Conversely, the tree could be under stress that is causing the thinning of foliage in the upper canopy, though unless the stress is common to all trees in the area which you mentioned appeared similar, then it is likely a result of the the natural pattern of growth.

Regards,

James

]]> By: Katie Pigott http://treelogic.com.au/facts/2008/12/araucaria-heterophylla-norfolk-island-pine/comment-page-1/#comment-1593 Katie Pigott Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:59:55 +0000 http://treelogic.com.au/facts/?p=215#comment-1593 Hi have noticed that my Norfolk Pine is quite sparsely foliaged at the top with comparison to the rest of the tree, any ideas? others in the area I have also noticed suffer similarily. Thanks Hi have noticed that my Norfolk Pine is quite sparsely foliaged at the top with comparison to the rest of the tree, any ideas? others in the area I have also noticed suffer similarily.
Thanks

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