The availability of high genetic quality seed from hoop pine seed orchards has been the major factor in the successful plantation program with hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii Ait. ex. D. Don) in Queensland, Australia. However, delays in the onset of flowering and large annual variations in the production of strobili (particularly male strobili) have meant that large volumes of improved seed must be stored. These factors have also restricted attempts to mass-produce seed of the best full-sib families for use in commercial plantations. This study aimed to understand the environmental and biological control of flowering in hoop pine. Anatomical, environmental and genetic analyses as well as stimulation strategies were employed to determine the relationship between genetic characteristics of the plant, the environment, and flowering, and also to examine the extent to which these factors can be managed to increase the quantity and regularity of seed production. Significant effects of site on hoop pine flowering were observed during two consecutive years (1998 and 1999), and male strobilus production was significantly higher at an inland site (Yarraman) than at a coastal site (Imbil). Differentiation of male strobili was detected in early October during three years of observations (i.e. 1996, 1997 and 1998) in both coastal (Imbil and Toolara) and inland (Yarraman) regions. It was concluded that relative chilling and dry conditions over a critical period of bud differentiation were most likely to favour hoop pine male strobilus initiation, and hence seed production. Exogenous hormones were applied shortly before the onset of bud differentiation (in the 3nd – 4th weeks of September) to enhance pollen production. Enhancement trials conducted during 1997 and 1998 indicated that male strobilus production in branches injected with 10 mg of C16,17 dihydro gibberellic acid (GA)1 was 4 - 7 times greater than in control branches. Injection of 5 mg abscisic acid (ABA)+GA4/7 also increased the number of male strobili produced, but the result was less distinct. On the other hand, there was no significant effect of GA4/7 alone on production of hoop pine male strobili. The treatments caused no detectable damage to the scion branches. There were no detrimental effects from pollarding 10 to 12-year-old ramets in hoop pine seed orchards. Pollarding combined with decapitation of branch tips not only effectively reduced ramet height in aged hoop pine seed orchards, but also stimulated the production of new branchelets, potentially increasing the number of female cones and seeds. Bulk Segregant Analysis with RAPD markers identified five markers, namely X031018, W11390, B171100, Y71400 and W1520, which were polymorphic between both early flowering and late flowering parent trees and their bulk progenies. Further marker screening of individual progenies indicated that some of these markers were potentially specific early flowering markers or specific late flowering markers.