Norfolk Island pine

American  

noun

1. a coniferous evergreen tree, Araucaria heterophylla (orA. excelsa ), having whorled branches and needlelike foliage, widely cultivated as a houseplant.

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Norfolk Island pine British  

noun

1. a tall coniferous tree, Araucaria heterophylla , native to Norfolk Island and widely cultivated

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Etymology

Origin of Norfolk Island pine

First recorded in 1795–1805

Example Sentences

With a bit of luck, you’ll be decorating your Norfolk Island pine as a gorgeous living Christmas tree for years to come.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 11, 2021

The best known is the Norfolk Island pine, sold as a houseplant, though another, the Chilean monkey puzzle tree, has been a botanical curiosity since the 19th century.

From Washington Post • Jan. 21, 2020

At the end of the avenue, we came upon a splendid specimen of the Norfolk Island pine, said to be the largest and finest tree out of the island itself.

From A Boy's Voyage Round the World by Smiles, Samuel

The artificial stiffness and regularity of the Norfolk Island pine, and the sweet-smelling golden blooms of the Australian wattle, are sights almost as familiar in New Zealand as in their native lands.

From The Long White Cloud by Reeves, William Pember

Araucaria excelsa, the Norfolk Island pine, a native of Norfolk Island and New Caledonia, was discovered during Captain Cook’s second voyage, and introduced into Britain by Sir Joseph Banks in 1793.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 4 "Aram, Eugene" to "Arcueil" by Various