What tree species is featured on the flag of Norfolk Island?

The tree featured on the flag of Norfolk Island is the Norfolk Island pine.

The flag is a green-and-white triband with a green Norfolk Island pine in its central white stripe. The tree’s scientific name is Araucaria heterophylla, and it is native to Norfolk Island, making it a natural emblem for the territory.

Norfolk Island’s flag was adopted in 1979, when the island received limited self-government. Its green bands symbolize the island’s fertile land and abundant vegetation, while the central tree identifies the place more specifically than a generic forest symbol would. The pine is also the official tree of Norfolk Island.

The species has an interesting connection with European exploration. James Cook saw Norfolk Island in 1774 and believed its tall, straight trees might provide useful ship masts. That plan was not ultimately successful, but the tree became one of the island’s best-known visual symbols. It should not be confused with eucalyptus or kauri: although those trees are associated with the wider Pacific or Australia-New Zealand region, the flag’s central emblem is specifically the Norfolk Island pine.