Norfolk Island Pine Is Too Leggy With No Lower Branches

Question

My Norfolk island pine is over 20 yrs old but has only 3 tall trunks about 5 ft tall but the trunk only has branches near the top and about 3 to 4 ft of trunk. I was wondering if I cut the trunk completely off and put about 1 foot of trunk back in dirt will it start to grow? Please help me bring back more branches, it’s old and has been through alot but don’t want to kill it

Answer 1

You can, but be warned that this has the potential to damage or kill your tree! It is recommended to prune and keep only one leader branch. But if you prefer a more crowded look, then leaving the others won't hurt. Here is an article that will help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/norfolk-pine/norfolk-island-pine-pruning.htm