Norfolk Island Pine
Araucaria heterophylla
A straight trunk with soft, needled branches in neat tiers, like a small Christmas tree. Known for doubling as a holiday tree, then living on for years.
2.6/5
how easy it is to care for
2.7/5
how much it stands out visually
: Part sun
An east window: a few hours of sun, shade by afternoon
An east window, or any bright one with a few hours of sun and shade by afternoon, suits it; strong afternoon sun on the glass can bleach the needles. In a dim spot it hangs on a while, then drops lower branches.
Full sun keeps it compact and even. Hot afternoon sun right against the glass can bleach the needles, so if they pale, pull it back a little.
It grows toward the light, so give it a quarter turn every week. In a dim spot it hangs on for a couple of years, then starts dropping needles and its lower branches.
: 2-3× a month
Every 6-10 days in summer, 9-14 in winter
In summer it wants a soak every 6-10 days, and every 9-14 in winter, with the top of the soil drying between. It minds a bone-dry pot as much as a soggy one, and dry soil can cost it lower branches.
Water until it runs out the bottom, then empty the saucer. By the next soak the surface of the soil should feel dry to the touch, which takes 7-10 days in a bright room. In winter it needs less, so water a little less often then.
Gone for a while? Ten days is fine if it’s watered the day you leave.
: Large
A tiered tree that slowly reaches 3-6 feet
One straight trunk, ringed with tiers of soft branches about five to a tier, slowly climbs to 3-6 feet indoors. Each new tier comes from the top, often with just 3-6 inches of growth a year.
Growth is slow indoors: each new tier of branches comes from the top of the trunk. There’s nothing to prune, since the tiers keep their shape on their own.
: Pet & kid safe
Nothing harmful for dogs, cats, or kids
- DogsSafe
- CatsSafe
- KidsSafe
Nothing harmful here: the ASPCA lists it, as Australian pine, as non-toxic to dogs and cats, and UConn Extension puts it on its safe list for kids. A climbing cat can tip it, so a heavy pot helps.
Kids too: UConn Extension lists Norfolk Island pine as safe. A cat that climbs it can tip it over, so a heavy pot helps.
- ASPCA: safe for dogs.
- ASPCA: safe for cats.
- UConn Extension: safe for kids.
Cats and dogs: The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic.
Kids: No poison-centre listing; rated from university extension sources.
: Average
A cool room, away from heat vents and radiators
Cool is how it likes a room, 55-70°F and away from heat vents and radiators. It gets by on 35% humidity, though drier winter heat browns branch tips and costs it lower branches, so a humidifier nearby is worth it.
- Temperature
- 55-70°F
- Humidity
- 35%+
: Scale
Small brown bumps on branches, often with sticky drips
Scale is about the only pest it gets: small brown bumps stuck to branches and needles, often with sticky drips below. A black film on the drips is sooty mold, which wipes off once the scale is gone.
- Scale
Very few. NC State calls it generally pest free; scale is the one pest it names, along with sooty mold and leaf spot.
Scale looks like small brown bumps stuck to the branches and needles, often with sticky drips below. Lift them off with a fingernail or a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, then check again next week.
Sooty mold is a black film that grows on those sticky drips; it wipes off with a damp cloth once the scale is gone. Leaf spot leaves brown spots on the needles: keep water off the branches when you water.
: More
Feeds March-September; a quarter turn each month
Feeding it dilute every 2-4 weeks from March to September keeps its color, and a quarter turn each month keeps the tiers even. Snip off lower branches once they brown; repot every 3 years or so.
- Feed diluted, mar–sep10× a year
- Turn for symmetry12× a year
- Remove dead lower branches2× a year
- Repotevery 3 years
A potting mix that drains fast, in a heavy pot with a drainage hole; a tall one gets top-heavy.
It grows slowly, so repot only when the roots fill the pot, in spring, one pot size up.
Food helps it keep its color: a dilute houseplant fertilizer every 2 to 4 weeks from spring to early fall, and none in winter.
: Simple
Soft, matte needles on neat, even tiers
Soft needles about half an inch long line tiered branches on a straight trunk, in a single matte green, like a small Christmas tree. The tiers hide part of the soil.
Where to find me
Not at PILF places
Fun fact
A side-branch cutting keeps growing sideways. Only an upright tip cutting grows into a new tree.
Designer tips
A living Christmas tree that stays good-looking all year: soft, symmetrical tiers on a straight trunk.
Troubleshooting
The lower branches are browning and dropping
Dry air, too little light or soil left too dry: Iowa State names all three. A brighter window, a humidifier nearby in winter, and a soak every 6-10 days in summer usually slow it, and the tree keeps growing from the top.
Why is it leaning toward the window?
It grows toward the light. A quarter turn now and then evens it out as it grows.
The needles look pale or bleached
Likely too much strong afternoon sun against the glass. Pull it back a little, or filter the afternoon light with a sheer curtain.
See all 9
Is it safe for my cat or dog?
Yes. The ASPCA lists it, as Australian pine, as non-toxic to dogs and cats, and UConn Extension lists it as safe for kids. Eating any plant can upset a pet’s stomach, so a chewed branch might still bring some vomiting.
It’s barely grown since I got it
That’s its pace indoors, often just 3-6 inches a year (Illinois Extension), and UF/IFAS calls it slow too. More light speeds it up a little; extra fertilizer doesn’t.
Sticky drips under the branches
Likely scale: small brown bumps stuck to the branches and needles. A fingernail or a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol lifts them off, then check again a week later; any black film on the drips wipes away with a damp cloth.
Can I decorate it for the holidays?
Yes, lightly: small ornaments and LED lights, which stay cool. The soft branches bend under anything heavy, and afterward it can carry on for years in a bright spot.
Can it go outside for the summer?
Yes, in bright shade or morning sun, since strong afternoon sun can bleach it. Bring it in before fall nights drop below 55°F, and check it for bugs first.
Is it a real pine?
No. It’s an ancient conifer from the South Pacific, not a true pine, and at home on Norfolk Island it grows into a 200-foot tree (UF/IFAS).
Propagation
Not really at home. Growers raise new trees from seed.
Missouri Extension notes that a cutting must be the very top shoot and roots very slowly, so it isn’t worth sacrificing your tree’s tip.
The PILF Matrix
2.6/5
how easy it is to care for
2.7/5
how much it stands out visually
“The one that’s festive in December and bald by March.”
- living Christmas tree
Rated 1-5, with 5 being easiest
Built from light, water, air, pests, and upkeep.
Rated 1-5, with 5 being easiest
Rated 1-5, with 5 being highest presence
Built from its scale (size, shape, growth) and its look (color and flowers, shine, fullness).
Rated 1-5, with 5 being highest presence
Where it sits and what sun touches it.
- Dim shadeA dark corner or a windowless room; natural light casts no shadow
- Bright shadeBack from the window in a south-, east- or west-facing room, or right by a north-facing one, where only low early or late summer sun reaches it
- Filtered sunBehind a sheer curtain or tinted glass; the sun’s shadows are blurred
- Partial sunIn an east- or west-facing window: up to a few hours of direct sun
- Full sunThe sunniest spot you have, usually a south-facing window, with direct sun 6+ hours a day
How often, and what the soil does between.
- MonthlyEvery 2-3 weeks in summer and 3-5 in winter; the soil dries all the way between
- 2-3× a monthEvery 7-14 days in summer, longer in winter; the top of the soil dries between
- Weekly+About every 4-8 days in summer; the soil stays lightly damp
How much room it usually takes indoors.
Size
- TinyUnder 6 inches tall or wide; for a desk or a sill
- Small6 inches to 1.5 feet tall or wide; for a shelf or a sill
- Medium1.5 to 3 feet tall or wide; for a table or a stand
- Large3 to 6 feet tall or wide; for the floor
- GiantOver 6 feet tall or wide; a statement in the corner
Shape
- TreeA trunk that branches into a canopy
- CaneBare stalks topped with leaves
- UprightStiff stems or leaves rising straight from the soil
- FountainLeaves or fronds arching out from the center
- BushyA full, rounded mound of leaves
- RosetteLeaves radiating from one low point
- ViningTrails, climbs, or both
Growth
How fast it gets there.
- SlowUnder 6 inches of new growth a year
- Moderate6-12 inches a year, mostly in spring and summer
- FastOver 12 inches a year; it may want trimming or training
What risks exist for pets and kids.
- Pet & kid safeNothing to worry about
- Mildly irritatingMay irritate the mouth or stomach if chewed, or for some plants, the skin if handled
- Moderately toxicCan cause illness if eaten, though typically not serious or fatal
- DangerousCan cause serious illness if eaten, including some reports of death
- Not yet ratedNot clearly rated by our sources; please check with your vet or doctor
For its safety ratings, PILF relies on research and guidance from leading sources, including the ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline, Merck Veterinary Manual, Poison Control, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and others.
The small jobs beyond watering, over a year.
- Little upkeepA few small jobs a year beyond watering, like a feed now and then
- Some upkeepA small job about once a month beyond watering, like feeding or turning it
- More upkeepA small job every couple of weeks beyond watering, like a wipe, a turn, or a feed
- Most upkeepA small job most weeks beyond watering, like raising the humidity or misting
- TreeA trunk that branches into a canopy
- CaneBare stalks topped with leaves
- UprightStiff stems or leaves rising straight from the soil
- FountainLeaves or fronds arching out from the center
- BushyA full, rounded mound of leaves
- RosetteLeaves radiating from one low point
- ViningTrails, climbs, or both
How fast it gets there.
- SlowUnder 6 inches of new growth a year
- Moderate6-12 inches a year, mostly in spring and summer
- FastOver 12 inches a year; it may want trimming or training
The temperature and humidity it’s comfortable in.
How dry a room it takes.
- Needs 50%+ humidity
- Fine at 35% humidity
- Fine at 15-20% humidity
The bugs that usually find it, by name.
How often pests find it.
- 5+ regular pests
- 3 regular pests
- Pests are rare
The year’s chores: feeding, pruning, repotting, and cleaning.
Chores beyond water (what needs work means).
- Most upkeep
- Some upkeep
- Little upkeep
Its finish, fullness, and texture.
Color, pattern, and flowers.
- SimpleOne green, one texture, nothing to read
- SuaveA sheen, a stripe, or a clean shape that catches the eye up close
- ShowyColor, pattern, or blooms you see from across the room
How the leaves catch light.
- Matte
- Satin
- Glossy or waxy
How much it fills its pot.
- Soil shows
- Soil partly hidden
- Leaves hide the soil