How to Grow and Care for Norfolk Island Pine

Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) is not an actual pine tree but rather a relative of the monkey puzzle tree. It is often cultivated as a landscape tree in subtropical climates in North America (USDA zones 10 to 11) and grown indoors elsewhere. Growing to great heights, it has a straight trunk and pleasingly symmetrical branches covered with short, inward-curving needles. A Norfolk Island pine can grow up to 200 feet tall outdoors. Grown indoors, it gets 3 to 8 feet tall or may even be trained as a bonsai or miniature tree. Whether grown outdoors or inside, the Norfolk pine needs a lot of light to thrive.

In other regions, the slow-growing Norfolk Island pine is often grown as a living Christmas tree, frequently decorated with ribbons or ornaments. All too often, the tree is discarded after the holiday season, but it can easily be kept as a permanent foliage plant indoors or planted outdoors when it warms up in the spring.

Norfolk Island Pine Care

The main care requirements for a Norfolk Island Pine are fairly straightforward.

• Plant in a location that gets full sun.
• Locate your tree in an area with temperatures above 35°F.
• Water your Norfolk Pine at least every two weeks indoors.
• Mist your plant daily if it is potted indoors.
• Test your tree's soil pH and amend for acidic soil.

Norfolk Island pines are capable of growing both indoors and outdoors. While they have preferred growing conditions, they are quite forgiving and can thrive in various settings. If looking to place this plant where it will grow best outdoors, plant this tree in moderately moist, porous, and sandy soil in a full sun location. Once established, it will tolerate somewhat dry conditions.

If growing Norfolk Island pine indoors, use a potting mix that is porous, sandy, and slightly acidic. Adding extra peat moss and sand to a standard potting mix will improve acidity and porosity. Keep the soil damp but not soggy, and give the plant as much light as possible. It thrives in full sun or bright, indirect light, so position it near a south-facing window.

Light

A Norfolk Island pine needs sun, preferring full sun whenever possible. Norfolk Island pines can also handle relatively long periods (months at a time) in dimmer conditions. Thus, you can keep your potted plant indoors during the winter and then move it to a sunny spot outdoors when the summer comes around.

If your plant begins to stretch while growing inside, the odds are that the combination of low light and heavy fertilizer is causing leggy growth. In that case, cut back on the fertilizer until the plant has more access to sunlight. It's helpful to turn it frequently, so every side gets equal light.

Soil

Plant in soil that is rich, sandy, and acidic. These are acid-loving plants, preferring a pH in the 4.5-5.5 range. You can check your soil pH with an easy-to-do test, which will help keep your tree happy and healthy for a long time.

Water

Water your Norfolk Island pine regularly, even though it is somewhat drought-tolerant. This will mean watering the plant once every one to two weeks if it's an indoor plant. Water an indoor plant until excess moisture starts draining out of the bottom of the pot. Outdoor trees prefer the soil to remain somewhat moist.

Temperature and Humidity

Because they are native to the South Pacific, Norfolk Island pines prefer warmer, wetter climates between 65°F and 70°F. They can briefly survive cooler and warmer temperatures but may perish if they experience temperatures below 35°F.

If you want to give your Norfolk pine some extra love, use a humidifier to help increase the humidify around the plant.

Fertilizer

Feed your Norfolk Island pine with a weak liquid fertilizer throughout the growing season, although it is best to suspend fertilizing in low-light periods. A 20-20-20 NPK formulation will work fine, but to add the acidity that the Norfolk Island pine loves so much, you can look for proprietary fertilizers specially formulated for conifers or azaleas.

Norfolk Island pines—especially younger trees—have notoriously weak root systems. To strengthen their roots, make sure you're supplying regular fertilizer, and don't hesitate to stake your tree up if it needs support.

Types of Norfolk Island Pines

There is only one variety of Norfolk Island pine on the market: Araucaria heterophylla. This plant does not have cultivars or named varieties. A few other species from this family sometimes show up in the trade, mislabeled as the original plant. These include A. columnaris, A. araucana, and A. bidwillii. It's unlikely you'll see these, but if you happen to acquire one, the cultural requirements are similar.

Pruning

Remove lower branches that have died—a common issue with indoor specimens. It is usually not recommended to trim the top of the tree, but if a potted tree gets too large for its space, cut off the central leader. This will cause the tree to branch out from that point, and while the plant will lose the classic evergreen look, such trimming usually does not affect the health of the tree.

Remove dead and diseased branches from trees grown outdoors, but other than this, no routine pruning is necessary.

How to Grow Norfolk Island Pine From Seed

Norfolk Island pine best propagates by seed. Seeds should be placed flat on the germination medium, such as a moist, peaty, sandy mix, without covering. Lightly mist or cover the seed to encourage germination. The suggested light level for propagation is bright, indirect light or, if outside, partial sun, with only three to four hours of direct sun. A tap root and top growth are signs the seed has germinated. Keep the seedlings medium moist—not wet and soggy.

Potting and Repotting Norfolk Island Pine

A potted Norfolk Island pine only needs to be repotted when it's root-bound or the roots are beginning to come out of the drainage hole. Young Norfolk Island pines are not very fast growers, so it might be possible to repot your tree every other year instead of every year. As the plant matures, it will begin to grow faster.

Repot your Norfolk Island pine in the springtime, and if your plant has attained a larger size, make sure to use a pot of any material with plenty of heavy items in the mix, such as potting sand, to provide enough weight to keep the plant upright. It will do best in peaty, sandy potting mix that is slightly acidic. Make sure the pot is only a couple of inches larger than the one the plant is coming from, but also make certain it has plenty of drainage holes.

Overwintering

Norfolk pines love the warm weather and can't tolerate temperatures below 35 degrees Fahrenheit. When it is faced with frost, the plant will begin to yellow and die.

Bring a potted tree indoors if it's not already, and keep it away from drafts. Place it in a room with high humidity (difficult to do in a dry home during the winter) and full, bright sunlight. Water only when the surface of the soil is dry to the touch.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Norfolk Island Pines are vulnerable to pests including aphids, mealybugs, scale, mites, and whiteflies. If possible, identify the infestation as early as possible and treat it with the least toxic option. A Norfolk pine may also develop a fungal disease from overwatering, such as anthracnose, which can turn entire sections of the tree yellow, brown, and then cause the plant to die.

Common Problems With Norfolk Island Pines

This easy-going tree may encounter a few challenges in its life. The needles will turn different colors to alert you to a problem.

Needles Turning Brown

The tree can't tolerate cold, but it also can't tolerate extreme heat. Wide temperature fluctuations can cause the needles to brown. Brown needles may also indicate that the plant is being overwatered or underwatered, too.

Needles Turning Yellow

If the needles turn yellow, the tree may not be getting enough sunlight. Or, it could be getting too much sunlight. Extreme changes in temperature may also be the culprit turning the needles yellow.

Needles Dropping

Needles will drop for two reasons: Your tree is either being overwatered or it's not given enough light.