Araucaria cunninghamii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Araucaria cunninghamii |
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Araucaria
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cunninghamii
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The Araucaria cunninghamii is a type of tree often called the hoop pine. It gets its name from the way its bark peels off in rings, like hoops. People also call it by other names, such as colonial pine or Queensland pine. The scientific name, cunninghamii, honors Allan Cunningham. He was a botanist and explorer who first collected samples of this tree in the 1820s.
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Where Hoop Pines Live
Hoop pines grow in the dry rainforests of New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. You can also find them in New Guinea. These amazing trees can live for a very long time, sometimes up to 450 years! They can also grow incredibly tall, reaching heights of 60 meters (about 200 feet). The bark of the hoop pine is rough and naturally splits and peels off easily.
What Hoop Pines Look Like
The leaves on young hoop pine trees are shaped like an awl, which is a pointed tool. They are about 1 to 2 centimeters long. On older, more mature trees, the leaves are more like scales. These leaves are also 1 to 2 centimeters long but are wider, about 4 millimeters across.
The hoop pine produces cones. These cones are oval-shaped and measure about 8 to 10 centimeters long and 6 to 8 centimeters wide. It takes about 18 months for the cones to fully grow and ripen. When they are ready, the cones break apart. This releases their edible, nut-like seeds.
Types of Hoop Pines
There are two main types, or varieties, of the hoop pine:
- Araucaria cunninghamii var. cunninghamii – This variety is found in Australia. It grows from the northeast part of New South Wales up to east-central Queensland. You can find it at altitudes from sea level up to 1,000 meters high.
- Araucaria cunninghamii var. papuana – This variety lives in New Guinea. It grows on the mountains of Papua New Guinea and in Irian Jaya, Indonesia. This type of hoop pine can be found at much higher altitudes, from 100 meters up to 2,700 meters.
Uses of Hoop Pine Wood
The wood from the hoop pine is very strong and useful. It is especially important for making plywood. Plywood is a type of wood made from thin layers glued together. This wood is also used to make furniture, thin sheets called veneer, and parts for buildings like joinery and panelling. You might also find it in particle board, flooring, and even boats.
Sadly, many natural hoop pine forests in Australia and Papua New Guinea have been cut down for logging. Now, most hoop pines are grown on special tree plantations. However, you can still find healthy hoop pine trees in protected areas, like Lamington National Park. There is even a walking path in the park named after the hoop pine!
Long ago, Aboriginal Australians used the sticky resin from the hoop pine. They used it as a type of glue or cement.
Gallery
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Hoop Pine in Prospect Reservoir in Sydney
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The banded bark of Araucaria cunninghamii
See also
In Spanish: Araucaria de Australia para niños
