care instructions
Araucaria heterophylla
Norfolk Island Pine
Light:
Araucaria
needs bright light preferably eastern or western exposure and will
retain best foliage color with one to two hours of sunlight per day.
Watering:
When
soil feels slightly dry to touch, water your Norfolk thoroughly being
sure that the water goes in the saucer. After 15 minutes discard all
excess water that the tree has not taken back up.
Temperature:
The
Norfolk Island Pine grows best in temperatures between 60 and 72 degrees
F during the day and 50 to 65 degrees F at night.
Humidity:
A
relative humidity above 50% is preferred to successfully grow Norfolk
pines indoors. Provide additional humidity by misting twice daily.
An excellent method of providing extra moisture is to stand plants
in shallow trays filled with moistened pebbles, and/or use a humidifier.
Feeding:
Feed
Araucaria only during the growing season (March through September)
with a dilute, standard, liquid fertilizer once every two weeks.
Transplanting:
When
roots begin to grow out of the bottom of the pot, transplant into
the next largest size pot (always use the deepest pot with this tree).
Use a soil mixture of equal parts sterilized houseplant potting soil,
peat moss and sand/or perlite, with a tablespoon of bone meal.
Propagation:
Only
a tip cutting from the very top of old plants will develop into a
completely symmetrical specimen so the easiest method to grow Araucaria
is from seed.
Maintenance:
To
keep its growth most symmetrical, turn it slightly every week. Supply
extra humidity to avoid the common problems, needles turning brown
and brittle.
Special
Note:
Give the Norfolk Island pine as much natural light as possible in
the winter months to assure good symmetrical development.
Plant
information provided by New York Botanical Gardens - www.nybg.org