What tree appears on the national flag of Norfolk Island?

The tree on Norfolk Island’s flag is the Norfolk Island pine, Araucaria heterophylla, shown in green at the center of a white stripe.

The flag is a green-white-green triband adopted for Norfolk Island in 1979, when the territory received limited self-government. The pine was chosen because it is native to Norfolk Island and serves as the territory’s official tree. Its distinctive, symmetrical shape is closely associated with the island’s landscape.

Norfolk Island pine also has an unusual historical connection with exploration and settlement. James Cook observed the island in 1774 and thought the tall trees might provide ship masts, although that hoped-for use did not ultimately succeed.

The flag is sometimes confused with designs featuring a generic evergreen or palm, but the central tree is specifically the Norfolk Island pine. The surrounding green bands symbolize the island’s vegetation and fertile land, while the white center makes the tree prominent.