An exotic immigrant

The tree you see in Fuengirola is definitely not native to Spain. It is an imported celebrity. Its true home is Norfolk Island. This is a tiny speck of land in the South Pacific Ocean between Australia and New Caledonia. It was first spotted by Captain James Cook in 1774. He thought the tall straight trunks would make perfect masts for British ships. He was wrong. The wood turned out to be too brittle for the high seas. Instead of becoming part of a boat it became a global decorative hit.

Coming to Malaga

These trees arrived in Europe in the 19th century. They became very fashionable in the gardens of Malaga around the mid 1800s. Wealthy estate owners loved them because they looked exotic and grand. Some of the oldest specimens in the province are nearly 200 years old now. You can see massive examples in the La Concepcion Historical Botanical Garden. They liked the Spanish weather so much they decided to stay and grow taller than the local architecture.

Ancient biology

This plant is a living fossil. It belongs to the Araucariaceae family which dates back over 200 million years. This means they were around during the Triassic period. They watched the dinosaurs come and go. Their scientific name is Araucaria heterophylla. The second part of the name means “different leaves”. This is because the young needles look nothing like the adult scales. It is like the tree goes through a very dramatic wardrobe change as it grows up.

Built for the beach

The biology of this tree is perfectly designed for coastal life. It has a high tolerance for salt spray and can handle intense winds without snapping. While other trees would look messy and wind swept the Norfolk Island Pine keeps its symmetrical shape. It thrives in the deep sand and Mediterranean sun of southern Spain. It has successfully traded its tiny Pacific island for a permanent holiday on the Costa del Sol.