(ar-ah-care' ee-ah he-ter-o-phil' lah)
Common name: Norfolk Island Pine
Family: Araucariaceae, Araucaria
Height x width: 2-6' x 1-4'
Foliage: needle-like, spirally arranged, to ½" long, on graceful long drooping branches with age
Flowers: cones, not seen in cultivation indoors
Light: bright
Temperature: cool
Watering: moderate
Humidity: humid
Soil: acidic prefered
Pests and Problems: scales, leaves dropping off indicate root rot, limb branches dropping off indicate too high heat if young plants, or can be natural as plants age and grow taller
Growth habit, uses: houseplant, outdoor tree to 200' in tropics
Other interest: native to Norfolk Islands, being originally discovered by Capt. Cook; related to other popular tropical trees such as Monkey Puzzle Tree (araucana); named for the Arauco Indians of Chile where araucana is native
Other culture: repot every 2-3 years; use acidic fertilizer for best growth; often becomes too large for interior spaces; often does poorly in dry, warm centrally heated homes
Propagation: seed, tip cuttings are difficult
Cultivars:
None are usually seen in U.S. commerce although some are listed elsewhere.
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