Common Name(s): Araucaria, pine (tropical)
Distribution: Primarily tropical regions in the Southern Hemisphere
Genus Size: Approximately 20 species (many of which are endemic to the island of New Caledonia)
Mechanical Characteristics: Generally moderate density with good strength characteristics for a softwood. Commercial timbers such as Parana pine fall somewhere between ponderosa pine and southern yellow pine on the spectrum of mechanical characteristics.
Visual Characteristics: Generally both sapwood and heartwood are a light brown, sometimes with a yellow or red hue. Some species are prone to blue/gray fungal staining, particularly if not dried properly.
Identification: Unlike true pines in the Pinus genus, Araucaria lacks resin canals. Trachied diameter is usually medium-large. Some species appear to have rather wide and conspicuous rays when viewed from the endgrain.
Species listing