Norfolk Pine Tree Care
The Norfolk pine tree, or Norfolk Island pine, grows naturally on Norfolk Island in the South Pacific. It can reach 200 feet in height when grown outside in warm temperate climates. It is commonly grown indoors as a house plant, though, and will generally reach a maximum height of 8 feet. Does this Spark an idea?
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Light
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The Norfolk pine prefers a lot of light. It should be placed in a very well-lit room, preferably with an east or west exposure. It should not be placed where it will be in hot direct sun for more than 1 to 2 hours at the most each day. It can live with lighting provided only by incandescent or fluorescent lights for up to 2 years, but the plant will ultimately suffer from the lack of natural light and fail to thrive.
Temperature
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The Norfolk pine prefers a daytime temperature between 60 and 72 degrees F and nighttime temperatures of 50 to 65 degrees F. Do not allow the temperature to drop below 50 degrees. Avoid extreme temperature fluctuations if possible.
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Water
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The Norfolk pine should be watered once a week. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Do not let the plant dry out during the summer months. Fertilize it once each month during the summer with house plant food that is diluted to half strength. Rainwater is the best water to use for this plant. If rainwater is not available, draw the water at least a day or two ahead. This will allow the chlorine to dissipate naturally from the water before use. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings during the winter. Yellowing needles is a sign of over-watering.
Humidity
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The Norfolk pine prefers does best in high humidity. It should be misted once or twice a day with cool water. If the tips of the branches begin to brown and needles start dropping, place some pebbles and water in a shallow container and set the plant directly above it.
Pruning
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Norfolk pines should never be pruned. Remove the brown tips from the branches and any dead branches. Once a branch is pruned, no new growth will develop there. Branches that develop brown tips will also no longer produce new growth.
Re-Potting
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Re-pot the Norfolk pine in the spring every 3 to 4 years. Water the plant just before re-potting it. Re-pot it into a deep container. Use a sterile, well-draining commercial potting soil or mix the sterile potting soil in equal parts with sphagnum peat moss and sand or perlite plus a tablespoon of bone meal.
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References
- Photo Credit red bell on the christmas tree image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
