Araucaria excelsa. Pinaceae. Norfolk-Island-Pine. Southern area.
Evergreen. Norfolk Islands.
 Norfolk-Island-pine is symmetrical and pyramidal in growth
habit (Fig. 5). The central leader is strong and straight with evenly
spaced branches and when viewed from a distance appears tiered.
Trees grow to 160 feet in height in their native habitat, but rarely
exceed 100 feet in Florida. Leaves are simple, needle- or awl-like,
1-inch long, dark green and fine textured.
 Norfolk-Island-pine has its greatest landscape use as a strong
single accent. Small trees are popular as potted specimens for terraces,
patios and Florida rooms. This tree will live in the reduced light of
home interiors, but grows best outdoors in full sunlight. Norfolk-
Island-pine does not have any important insect or disease problems
in Florida, and is salt tolerant.


















 Fig. 5.-Norfolk-Island-Pine, Araucaria excelsa (left) and Fig. 6 the caram-
 bola tree, Averrhoa carambola.

 Averrhoa carambola. Oxalidaceae. Carambola or Carambola
Plum. Southern area. Evergreen. Asia.
 Carambola trees are usually small, growing to 30 feet in height
with a dense symmetrical head (Fig. 6). Leaves are pinnately com-
pound and contain 5 to 13 leafllets which increase in size toward the
leaf tip and vary in shape from elliptic to ovate. Flowers are incon-
spicuous, fragrant, and white marked with purple. They are borne
in clusters in leaf axils, but sometimes are terminal in spring. The
fruit is yellow, fleshy, waxy, 3- to 5-ribbed, edible capsule 3 to 6 inches
long.
 Homeowners use carambola as a shade or specimen tree and for
its tropical fruit effect. Dense shade produced by carambola usually
prevents growth of grass beneath; however, because of small size this
is not a great problem. Trees are sometimes subject to attack by
scales.