Is it possible to revive a Norfolk pine? - Ask Extension
I got my aunt a Norfolk pine more than 30 years ago. She kept it healthy, but after she died my black thumb killed her Christmas cactus and some other...
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Is it possible to revive a Norfolk pine? #440436
Asked February 13, 2018, 6:43 PM EST
I got my aunt a Norfolk pine more than 30 years ago. She kept it healthy, but after she died my black thumb killed her Christmas cactus and some other plants. The Norfolk pine has survived - barely.
It is about 3 feet tall, but the only green is at the very top, There is one long spindly brown twiggy "trunk", topped by 4 green branches. There is fresh growth at the top but nowhere else.
Is it possible to revive it somehow? I really don't want to give it up.
It is about 3 feet tall, but the only green is at the very top, There is one long spindly brown twiggy "trunk", topped by 4 green branches. There is fresh growth at the top but nowhere else.
Is it possible to revive it somehow? I really don't want to give it up.
Iowa County Iowa
Expert Response
Unfortunately, there is no way to rejuvenate the Norfolk Island Pine. With good care, the plant will continue to produce new growth at its top. However, new growth will not develop in bare areas.
Care of Norfolk Island Pine
Place the Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) in a brightly lit location near an east, west, or south window. Rotate the plant weekly to prevent the plant from growing toward the light and becoming lopsided. Thoroughly water the Norfolk Island pine when the soil surface becomes dry to the touch. From spring to early fall, fertilize the plant with a dilute fertilizer solution every 2 to 4 weeks. Temperatures of 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit are satisfactory for the Norfolk Island pine. Winter is often a difficult time because of low relative humidity levels in most homes. Raise the humidity level around the Norfolk Island pine with a humidifier or by placing the plant on a tray or saucer containing pebbles and water. (Make sure the water level does not reach the bottom of the pot.) Low relative humidity levels or dry soil conditions may cause browning of branch tips and lead to the loss of the lower branches. Insufficient light may result in droopy growth.
Care of Norfolk Island Pine
Place the Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) in a brightly lit location near an east, west, or south window. Rotate the plant weekly to prevent the plant from growing toward the light and becoming lopsided. Thoroughly water the Norfolk Island pine when the soil surface becomes dry to the touch. From spring to early fall, fertilize the plant with a dilute fertilizer solution every 2 to 4 weeks. Temperatures of 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit are satisfactory for the Norfolk Island pine. Winter is often a difficult time because of low relative humidity levels in most homes. Raise the humidity level around the Norfolk Island pine with a humidifier or by placing the plant on a tray or saucer containing pebbles and water. (Make sure the water level does not reach the bottom of the pot.) Low relative humidity levels or dry soil conditions may cause browning of branch tips and lead to the loss of the lower branches. Insufficient light may result in droopy growth.
