# What's this tree (?) in Malta? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647 "2013-07-04T16:39:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/1 "2013-07-04T16:39:45Z")
I was in Malta a few days ago and saw several weird-looking trees (or possibly cacti, ferns, etc.). They were about 20 feet tall (6 m) with tiers of branches up to 2 feet (60 cm) apart. Each branch grew upward at about 30 degrees (pi/6 radians) from horizontal. Instead of leaves, the trees had long, finger-like green things (maybe like cacti – I didn’t get a close look) pointing almost straight up. My family hadn’t seen anything like them before. I originally thought they could be fake trees used as cell phone antennae, but they were too small and looked to be alive. Right before we left, I remembered to take a picture so I could ask about it here: [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/IrlknKr.jpeg "Some weird tree in Malta") ](https://imgur.com/IrlknKr) Does anyone have any idea what it is? TIA, as appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/2 "2013-07-04T17:22:46Z")
Looks like an [Auracaria](http://www.gardensandplants.com/uk/plant.aspx?plant_id=239) of some species. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/3 "2013-07-04T17:24:28Z")
Yes, I thought the “leaves” looked rather like a monkey-puzzle tree (the best known \*Araucaria \*species), although the form of the tree is obviously much less dense. Was it the same as [this](http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g1222290-d500696-i43613739-Eden_Playa-Playa_de_Muro_Majorca_Balearic_Islands.html#43613729)? Not that that is much help as it doesn’t name the plant, but it might be a better picture. Edit: could be a Cook pine (_Araucaria columnaris_) - pic here: [Araucaria columnaris - Cook Pine, New Caledonia Pine, Cook Araucaria, Columnar Araucaria - Hawaiian Plants and Tropical Flowers](http://wildlifeofhawaii.com/flowers/1442/araucaria-columnaris-cook-pine/) and here: [http://www.flickr.com/photos/donnali/2306475549/](http://www.flickr.com/photos/donnali/2306475549/) Certainly not a Mediterranean native. ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/4 "2013-07-04T19:31:08Z")
I thought the leaves were smooth when I saw the tree, but evidence seems to indicate that I was wrong. I believe they were Norfolk Island pines (_A. heterophylla_), as **jayjay** linked to (and what I think **Colophon** linked to as well). Maybe the ones I saw were trimmed for appearance and/or size, since they seem to grow [much taller than that](http://www.flickr.com/photos/brewbooks/306293116/). Knowing what to look for, I found a few links (e.g., [this](http://gozonews.com/6116/faa-shocked-by-approval-to-fell-awrikarja-tree/)) that talk about those trees being in Malta. Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/5 "2013-07-04T19:45:20Z")
Yes, Norfolk Island pine looks like a better match than Cook pine. [Here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Araucaria_heterophylla_cones.jpg) is a close-up of the foliage (and cones). It does look kind of cactus-like. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/6 "2013-07-04T19:54:36Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Yes, I thought the “leaves” looked rather like a monkey-puzzle tree (the best known \*Araucaria \*species) Off-topic: Hah, just twigged why the late, great crossword setter Araucaria chose that name. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/7 "2013-07-04T20:17:38Z")
Definitely Norfolk Pine (was a popular garden tree here in South Africa as well in the bad old days) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/8 "2013-07-04T21:40:45Z")
And on this subject: Did you know that, with sufficient care and careful technique, you can pet a monkey puzzle tree – _without_ getting your hand shredded? ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/9 "2013-07-04T22:00:47Z")
> [@Kimble](#): > > I thought the leaves were smooth when I saw the tree, but evidence seems to indicate that I was wrong. I believe they were Norfolk Island pines (_A. heterophylla_), as **jayjay** linked to (and what I think **Colophon** linked to as well). Maybe the ones I saw were trimmed for appearance and/or size, since they seem to grow [much taller than that](http://www.flickr.com/photos/brewbooks/306293116/). Knowing what to look for, I found a few links (e.g., [this](http://gozonews.com/6116/faa-shocked-by-approval-to-fell-awrikarja-tree/)) that talk about those trees being in Malta. > > Thanks again! Going on size of the trunk and the way the branchlets stick up, they look very young. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/10 "2013-07-05T00:01:34Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Definitely Norfolk Pine (was a popular garden tree here in South Africa as well in the bad old days) What’s wrong with Norfolk Pines? I kinda like them. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/11 "2013-07-05T00:07:37Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > What’s wrong with Norfolk Pines? I kinda like them. Considering that **Mr. Dibble** lives in South Africa, I don’t think he’s saying there was anything wrong with NIPs, but with SOUTH AFRICA, in the bad old days. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/12 "2013-07-05T06:56:26Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > What’s wrong with Norfolk Pines? I kinda like them. > [@jayjay](#): > > Considering that **Mr. Dibble** lives in South Africa, I don’t think he’s saying there was anything wrong with NIPs, but with SOUTH AFRICA, in the bad old days. No, that’s not it - we just have laws against planting non-indigenous trees nowadays, because of [some](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakea_sericea) [problem](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_saligna#Environmental_impact_in_South_Africa) [invaders](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_cyclops) we’ve had in the past. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/13 "2013-07-05T07:01:27Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > No, that’s not it - we just have laws against planting non-indigenous trees nowadays, because of [some](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakea_sericea) [problem](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_saligna#Environmental_impact_in_South_Africa) [invaders](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_cyclops) we’ve had in the past. Ah, okay. Read too much into it. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-tree-in-malta/662647/14 "2013-07-05T10:53:55Z")
Oh, I’d classify Europeans as initially problem invaders too. But they’re naturalized now 🙂