Tree of the day

[Ianab]

Last tree is called Puka. (Meryta sinclairii)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meryta_sinclairii

It originally came from some small islands off the coast of Northern NZ, but is now common around the mainland as a garden plant, in coastal areas. Salt spray doesn't seem to affect it, but it's frost tender. 

There are related species growing on many Sth Pacific Island from New Caledonia through French Polynesia etc. But it wasn't a species that I expected many Nth Hemisphere folks would have seen. 

[caveman]

Thanks, Ian.  That was a new one for me.  

[Ianab]

Got some more locals puzzlers for you all.
These are taken in the park behind the kids school, the trees are only young, maybe 20 year or so.  They can grow a LOT bigger. The tree is native to NZ, but we are outside it's normal range, so it will only grow here if it's been planted in sheltered spot. Once it gets up above the frost it seems to do OK.






 
It exudes a resinous gum to seal up any wound.

[Ljohnsaw]

I know not to monkey around with that tree! ;)  I was out taking a walk looking (down) at my phone when I ran my head into a dried up branch/leaves.  Razor sharp and hard... OUCH!

[Ianab]

I know not to monkey around with that tree!

On the right track, but it's not Monkey Puzzle. 

[Ljohnsaw]

Kauri tree?

[LeeB]

I have no clue what so ever but the leaves to me look like it may be a eucalyptus of some kind. 

[firefighter ontheside]

I think John is right.....kauri.  A conifer.

[LeeB]

Blue Gum?

[Ljohnsaw]

Interesting reading about the Kauri (Northern NZ) and the Monkey Puzzle (Chile) trees.  They are from prehistoric times.  The Monkey Puzzle tree has the sharp "leaves" to protect themselves from grazing dinosaurs!

[DelawhereJoe]

I was thinking either bunya pine or kauri as already mentioned.

[Ianab]

NZ Kauri (Agathis australis) is the one. 

Same family (Araucariaceae) as the Monkey Puzzle and Bunya pine. Largest tree in NZ, but ~90% of them were cut down in the 1800s. This is the biggest surviving tree called Tane Mahuta in Northland. DBH is ~16 feet, and 58 ft to the first branch. 


And yes, it's a survivor from the dinosaur times. There are coal mines in Australia where they dig up petrified remnants of kauri wood in the coal seams. It's not really "wood" any more, but it's recognisable as kauri. 

[caveman]

Monkey Puzzle was the tree of the day on May 13.  

[Ianab]

Another local for you. 




A young specimen tree at a friends farm, maybe 30 years old. Can grow into a big forest tree in a couple of hundred years, biggest are almost 200ft tall and pushing 6ft dbh. 

[Ljohnsaw]

Looks like some sort of cypress, maybe a cedar?

[Ianab]

Looks like some sort of cypress, maybe a cedar?

Occupies the same sort of ecological niche as your bald cypress. But Sth Hemisphere has a whole different ecosystem.  We don't have the pine / cedar / cypress trees, but a whole other set of different species instead. 
Hint, it's a conifer, but the "cones" are like edible berries, to be better spread by birds. 

[Ianab]

Tree was Kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacrycarpus_dacrydioides

It prefers swampy ground. Wood isn't durable but was the choice for making butter crates for export. The wood didn't impart any smell on the butter.

[firefighter ontheside]

That was a tough one to google.  I like it though.

Today I was fishing in MO.  I saw many of our trees of the day.  I even saw river birch.  Lots of walnut, ash, hackberry.

[Ianab]

OK, lets see what else I have in the phone. 

Growing in the park beside the Kauri. I think I see even a stray Kauri behind it. 


Another "old growth" forest tree, but an ornamental yellow variety. Wood is light, quite soft, but very durable. Maori used it for carving and canoes. 

One of those trees that look cute in the native plant section of the garden shop. If you are in the long term garden plan crowd. Biggest one are pushing 2,000 years old.

[DelawhereJoe]

Totara

[DelawhereJoe]

You should write a book on the trees or at least fill in Wiki with all of your knowledge.

[Woodpecker52]

What is I Be?

 

 

 

[nativewolf]

I Saw it and I'm pretty sure.

[caveman]

Looks a lot like (Quercus acutissima) sawtooth oak.  It is a native of Asia.  

While looking in the bottom of the barrel I found another to use for today's tree of the day.


 I do not have a picture of the tree but it grows to well over 100' tall with a conical form.

[firefighter ontheside]

Does it grow in the southeastern appalachians?