Norfolk pine

Question

I bought a Norfolk pine over the holidays. It is still green with no brown but the foliage is very brittle and dry in places. I discovered that it had been sitting in water so I let it drain and have avoided watering it as the soil is still moist. Help!! Thanks.

Answer 1

In the part of Australia I’m from we have Norfolk Island Pines all over the place. Brittle and dry foliage is not uncommon. You were right to let it drain. These trees are moderately tolerant to waterlogged soil, but do better in a well draining sandy soil.

Like most coastal Australian plants they’re salt and drought tolerant and can still grow in low nutrient soil. However there’s a common belief that Australian plants don’t like fertiliser – this is not true, they just don’t need as much as other plants.

I assume it’s still in a pot, if it’s in a good draining mix don’t worry about it. If it’s in a dense mix I’d suggest re-potting it in a mix with about 1/3 to 1/2 course sand (propagating or river sand).

But really, don’t worry too much about it these are very hardy trees, and a bit of extra water while they’re young helps them become established.