Plant of the month
The most cheerful period of the year has come, which means that most of us will have decorated our houses with the Christmas spirit already. As plantlovers, a soothing holiday plant can’t be missed in our collection this time of year. That is why we would like to shine a spotlight on our beloved Araucaria Heterophylla, better known as the Norfolk Island Pine. This plant is a perfect replacement for a regular Christmas tree since it has similar looks. The best thing is that this pine stays green all year round, which means no needles will fall from it, woohoo! This green beauty is easygoing and is so cute when decorated with some lights and garlands. During this cheerful month, you can shop this ornamental tree for a festive price! Are you up for a Norfolk Island Pine this Christmas?
Fun fact! Even though this plant is commonly called a pine, it is not an actual pine at all.
Araucaria Heterophylla
This tree was discovered back in 1774 on the Norfolk Islands. The initial idea was to make ship masts from these trees. They were exported to Britain a little bit later, but they came to the conclusion that unfortunately this beautiful tree wasn’t cut from the right cloth. Later on they were used for plywood, but this manufacture was put to an end due to the will to preserve these trees for local use only. It wasn’t until much later that this plant managed to catch the eye of PLNTSlovers, who saw the potential of this tree as a substitute for a regular Christmas tree.
Care guide
The Araucaria Heterophylla doesn't require much maintenance. So you could get this beautiful pine without needing any green thumbs.
Watering
The Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla) is pretty low-maintenance when it comes to watering. This tree-like plant has a unique ability to store water in its trunk, so it doesn’t need frequent watering. It’s best to wait until the soil has dried out a little before giving it a drink—about every two weeks is a good schedule to stick to. You can check the soil’s moisture level with your finger or with the help of a water meter like Tessa. Just make sure you’re not overwatering, as it prefers slightly dry conditions over being waterlogged.
Fun fact! This gorgeous tree symbolises peace and harmony between people and nature. Pretty wholesome if you ask us! :)
Light
For this pine to thrive, plenty of light is essential. It loves bright, indirect light, and we recommend giving it at least 6 hours of it each day. If you don’t have a naturally bright spot in your home, you can use a grow light to boost its light exposure. This will help your Norfolk Island Pine grow healthy and strong without too much effort on your part. It's a great solution for darker rooms or winter months when natural light is limited.
Fun fact! The Norfolk Island Pine can grow up to 60 metres in height! But don’t worry, this plant is a slow grower and tends to be a little bit smaller when grown indoors, about 2,5 metres in height is the maximum it can reach indoors. ;)
Soil
The Norfolk Island Pine prefers a sandy, porous soil that is slightly acidic. You can easily create the perfect potting mix by combining regular soil with sand and peat moss. This mix ensures good drainage, preventing the roots from sitting in water for too long. The loose, airy texture of the soil helps mimic the plant’s natural environment, allowing its roots to breathe and thrive.
Temperature & Humidity
This plant does well in typical indoor temperatures, enjoying a range between 16-24°C. However, it does prefer a humid environment, so be sure to give it a little extra love with occasional misting, or consider using a humidifier if your home is particularly dry. If the humidity drops too low, you might notice the needles turning brown, which is a sign that it needs more moisture in the air. A bit of attention to humidity will keep your pine lush and happy
Propagating
Propagating this beauty is possible, but definitely not easy! You also might want to know that this propagation will grow out to look a bit different than the mother plant, but will still be beautiful and adorable! Besides, you can proudly say you have managed to propagate this plant! So if you have lots of patience and you are up for the challenge, you can use these steps to make your own baby Araucaria Heterophylla!
Step 1
Find a healthy leaf that has no browning needles. Make sure to cut this off with clean shears, so you eliminate the risk of the cutting catching any diseases.
Step 2
Make sure to expose the bottom of the branch by removing the branches and needles from the bottom part of the cuttings. This should be at least 3 centimetres.
Step 3
Dip the end in rooting powder and prepare a nursery pot with the same potting soil as we suggested you would use for the mother plant. A combination of soil, sand and peat moss.
Step 4
Keep the substrate slightly moist and mist the cutting on a regular basis. If your cutting manages to root, this will happen after about 45 days.
Buy Araucaria Heterophylla online
That was lots of information on how you can keep your substitute Christmas tree happy and thriving. If you would like to stay small and humble this Christmas, you can do that by getting our cute variant of the Auracia, the medium Araucaria Heterophylla. If you would like to go all out and have lots of room for your decoration, you might want to get the extra-large version of the Araucaria Heterophylla. Have you already figured out the colours of Christmas decorations you will use to make this plant extra beautiful and cheerful?