How to Care for a Norfolk Island Pine Indoors
The Norfolk Island Pine is one of my favourite plants we have in our home.
It doesn’t look anything like the plant you would see in stores at Christmas time.
The long needled leaves cascading from its branches, give it a majestic look.
It is a mature Norfolk Pine, and it slowly continues to grow, displaying its true characteristics.
In-fact, despite its name, the Araucaria Heterophilla, (the Norfolk Island Pine scientific name), is not a true pine.
This beautiful tropical plant is native to the Norfolk Island, located in the Pacific Ocean, between New Zealand and New Caledonia.
In nature, can grow to incredible heights! Head over to my Blog on Tropical Plants to see a picture of the Norfolk Pine in its natural environment!
We are all so used to see small Norfolk Pines sold in many stores at Christmas time, that it’s hard to believe they are actually tropical plants.
These plants are so seasonal, that many of them end up in the trash once Christmas is over, which is really too bad because they become quite hard to find off-season!
If you are fascinated by these plants, and want to grab one, I highly recommend you do so as soon as the Holiday Season hits your stores!
Keep in mind, that even though Norfolk Pines are sold at Christmas time, they are not as hardy as pines.
They do not tolerate cold temperatures, and for this reason, it is not recommended to plant a Norfolk Pine outdoors, unless it is planted in regions were temperatures NEVER dip below 35F, (1C).
One last thing to consider before we get into the care details of this plant, is that Norfolk Pines are mildly toxic to pets. The ingestion of its branches and needles can cause stomach and mouth irritation, as well as vomiting. Make sure you find a safe spot for it, out of your pet’s reach.
Photo Credit: Canva Photos
This is how the majority of Norfolk Pines look like when they are sold during the Holiday Season.
Norfolk Pine Light requirements
Norfolk Island Pines need and thrive in bright light conditions.
Some direct morning sun is incredibly beneficial to this plant. Its ideal location is by a South facing window.
I have mine against a white wall on a South facing room with a big window and it receives a lot of indirect bright light.
My Norfolk Pine sits in one corner of my Home Office, and it keeps me company while I work.
It literally has its branches on my desk!
Norfolk Pine Humidity requirements
Like the great majority of tropical plants, the Norfolk Pine enjoys high humidity.
However, it does quite well in the average home humidity levels, which tends to be on the lower side.
I do recommend you provide your plant with adequate humidity levels.
There are a few ways to increase the amount of humidity around your plants:
- Cluster a bunch of plants together.
- Mist/spray your plants with distilled water twice a week. (I use distilled water to avoid hard water stains and built up on my plants’ leaves).
- Place a pebble tray filled with water underneath the pot. (I pour a bunch of small pebbles or gravel on a saucer and fill it with water. The water barely reaches the pebbles/gravel top surface so that the roots in the pot above don’t sit in stagnant water).
- Use a plant humidifier. I particularly like this ultrasonic cool mist one!
In this picture you can notice the growth of my Norfolk Pine in the brighter green needles.
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Norfolk pine Watering and fertilizing
Norfolk Pines needs are much closer to the needs of Orchids and Gardenias, than Pines.
Over watering and under watering are the main causes of this plant’s death.
Too much water, and the needles will go yellow, then brown.
Not enough water, will brown the entire plant.
It’s important to find the right balance between maintaining their soil moist and cool, and too soggy.
The best way to determine whether your plant needs watering, is to use your finger and feel the soil.
The top 2″-3″ of soil need to be moist and cool, not too soggy, not too dry.
One of the most important factors in watering your Norfolk Pine, is that it has good drainage.
If your plant is in a pot without drainage holes, it will never be able to discharge the excess water, and that, can cause roots rot.
When it is time to water your Norfolk Pine, water it thoroughly, and make sure to discard the excess water left in the saucer underneath the pot.
I fertilize mine with liquid fertilizer every second watering, from spring to fall.
Norfolk pine repotting
Norfolk Pines don’t grow incredibly fast; they are actually pretty slow with their growth, especially in their first years.
They grow faster once they reach maturity.
I noticed that mine tends to grow its needled leaves longer, and longer, rather than growing proportionally in height.
For this reason, you don’t need to repot your plant often.
But when you do repot your Norfolk Pine, there are a few things to consider.
- First, as mentioned before, (and I stretch this for every plant I talk about), proper drainage is critical to the health of this plant. Make sure you plant your Norfolk Pine in a draining pot. If you don’t have a pot with drainage holes, there are ways to provide plants with the proper drainage they need to be healthy, and even survive. Read this article on How to Plant in Pots Without Drainage Holes, for more details.
- Second, Norfolk Pines are acidic soil lovers! Use a peat based potting mix, as the breaking down of the peat will slowly add acidity to the soil.
I love the lush feel my Norfolk Pine gives to my Home Office!
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