The columnar pin, which can reach 50 meters, is the emblem, in what concerns the plants, of New Caledonia. It grows in dense clusters on the coast and on some islets. The Ile des Pins – i.e. Isle of Pines was named after them.
This is definitely the plant that confuses most when someone lands on the island. It looks so strange, so unreal that one wonders if this is really a tree. The columnar pine saw from afar surprised very much Captain COOK because of its unusual proportions: "We could not agree on the nature of these objects."
The columnar pin is an archaic survivor of the Triassic vegetation, spread in this area about 230 million years ago. In ancient times, the Araucaria species was composed of a large variety of plants, most of which have disappeared, along with the dinosaurs. Now, only 19 species survived worldwide, of which 13 are endemic to New Caledonia. The others 6 are in South America, Australia, New Guinea and in Norfolk (dislocated segments of the ancient Gondwana).
The columnar pine is appreciated in forestry because it is fast growing. Its soft wood is used for framing the buildings, but it is vulnerable to termites.
Phallic symbol among Melanesians, it is planted around the Chief’s hut and represents his power and virility. Symbolic tree, it signals the presence of tribes, reminding of their presence on the ancient hills. The pirogues (dugout canoes) south of Grande Terre and Ile des Pins are carved into the trunks of columnar pines.
A surprising tree
Interest and botanical symbolic
