Published: September 19, 2025 | Updated: September 25, 2026
Beginning in November, Norfolk Island pines start appearing at grocery stores, garden centers, and plant shops, often decorated with bows, ornaments, or a little dusting of glitter.
Maybe you brought one home as a living Christmas tree, received one as a gift, or spotted a lonely one on the clearance rack after the holidays and wondered whether it was worth rescuing (been there myself 😉).
Norfolk Island pines can make beautiful, long-lived houseplants, but they can also be a little challenging to keep happy indoors. My advice is to enjoy yours for what it is right now: an easy, festive way to bring some greenery into your home for the holidays.
Give it good basic care, and when the season is over, see how it does. Some people successfully grow Norfolk Island pines indoors for years, but if yours doesn’t make the transition from holiday decoration to permanent houseplant, don’t let that take away from the enjoyment you got from it.
A Norfolk Island pine makes a festive living decoration for the holiday season. Image © Ryan McGurl via Canva.com
What Is a Norfolk Island Pine?
Despite its name and Christmas-tree like appearance, the Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla) isn’t actually a pine. It’s a tropical evergreen native to Norfolk Island, a small island in the South Pacific between Australia and New Zealand. You’ll also see it called a Norfolk pine, and I’ll use both names throughout this guide.
In its native habitat, Norfolk Island pines grow into very large trees, nothing like the tabletop plants that show up in stores around the holidays. Indoors, growth is much slower, but with the right conditions, a Norfolk pine can become a long-lived addition to your houseplant collection.
This tropical background explains a lot about Norfolk pine care. They appreciate plenty of light, moderate temperatures, and more humidity than many of our homes naturally provide during winter. Which is the exact time of year most of us bring one home!
How Much Light Does a Norfolk Island Pine Need?
Norfolk Island pines grow best with plenty of light. Indoors, place yours near a bright window where it can receive several hours of good light each day. An east, west, or south-facing window can all work, depending on how much direct sun reaches the plant.
Don't be afraid of a little direct sunlight. Norfolk pines are often described as needing only “bright, indirect light,” but they tolerate (and appreciate) some direct sun indoors. If your plant has been growing in the low light of a grocery store or retail setting, gradually introduce it to stronger sun rather than moving it suddenly into an intensely sunny window.
Norfolk pines naturally grow toward the light, so give the pot a quarter turn every once in a while to encourage even, full growth. If the light is too low, growth will become thin and uneven, and the lower branches may turn brown and eventually drop off.
The soft, feathery branches of a Norfolk Island pine give it its distinctive Christmas-tree appearance. Image © akchamczuk via Canva.com
How Often Should You Water a Norfolk Island Pine?
Norfolk Island pines like consistent moisture, but they don't want to sit in soggy soil. Rather than watering on a set schedule, check the soil with your finger. When the surface feels dry, it's time to water.
Water thoroughly, allowing the excess to drain from the bottom of the pot. If your Norfolk pine is sitting inside a decorative pot or wrapped in foil for the holidays, make sure water isn't collecting around the bottom of the nursery pot.
Try not to let the soil become completely dry for long periods. Norfolk pines aren't particularly forgiving of extremes. Both overly wet soil and letting the plant get too dry can cause problems.
What Kind of Soil Does a Norfolk Island Pine Need?
Norfolk Island pines like a loose, well-draining potting mix that holds some moisture without staying soggy. If you're buying a bagged mix at the garden center, a general indoor houseplant or tropical plant potting mix is a good choice. You don't need to use a cactus or succulent mix, which is designed to dry out more quickly.
If the potting mix you have seems particularly dense or moisture-retentive, you can mix in some perlite to improve drainage and aeration.
If you've just brought home a Norfolk pine for the holidays, I wouldn't rush to repot it. As long as it's growing in a container with drainage holes and the soil is draining properly, leave it alone and give it some time to adjust to your home.
Humidity and Temperature
Norfolk Island pines are tropical plants, so they appreciate moderate temperatures and more humidity than many homes provide during winter. Normal indoor temperatures are generally fine; aim for roughly 55–70°F and keep your plant away from cold drafts and sudden temperature changes.
Dry winter air can be more challenging. Low humidity may contribute to brown branch tips and lower branches turning brown and dropping, especially when the heat is running.
If your home gets very dry in winter, a small humidifier near your houseplants is the most effective way to raise humidity. Grouping plants together can help a little, too. I wouldn't bother misting your Norfolk pine or adding a pebble tray. The effect on humidity is brief and isn't enough to make a meaningful difference.
Does a Norfolk Island Pine Need Fertilizer?
Norfolk Island pines benefit from occasional fertilizer while they're actively growing. During spring and summer, use a balanced houseplant fertilizer at half strength about once a month.
There's no need to fertilize during fall and winter, when growth naturally slows. And if you just brought your Norfolk pine home for the holidays, fertilizer is one thing you can cross off your list for now. Wait until spring before adding it to your care routine.
If you just brought your Norfolk pine home for the holidays, fertilizer is one thing you can cross off your list for now. Wait until spring to begin fertilizing. Image © feey-Unsplash via Canva.com
When Should You Repot a Norfolk Island Pine?
Norfolk Island pines don't need frequent repotting, so there's no reason to move yours into a larger container every year. Repot when the plant has clearly outgrown its current pot. For example, when roots are becoming crowded or the plant is drying out much more quickly between waterings.
Spring is a good time to repot, just before the plant begins a new period of active growth. Choose a container only slightly larger than the current one and make sure it has drainage holes. An oversized pot holds a lot of extra soil, which can stay wet longer than the roots need.
For larger Norfolk pines that are becoming difficult to repot, you can refresh some of the potting mix at the surface rather than continually moving the plant into a bigger and bigger container. Simply add a fresh layer of potting mix over the surface of the existing soil and gently tamp it into place.
Common Norfolk Island Pine Problems
If your Norfolk pine isn't looking its best, start by checking the basics: light, watering, humidity, and drainage. Several problems can cause similar symptoms, but these are good places to start:
Brown tips: Often associated with dry soil or low humidity. Make sure the plant isn't drying out too much between waterings. Brown tips won't turn green again, but you can gently snip them off if they bother you.
Brown or dropping lower branches: Dry soil, low humidity, or too little light can all contribute. Check the plant's overall growing conditions and adjust accordingly.
Yellowing foliage: Check for overly wet soil and make sure excess water is draining freely from the pot. Don't allow water to collect inside a decorative container.
If your Norfolk pine isn't looking its best, start with the basics: light, watering, humidity, and drainage. Small adjustments to its growing conditions may be all it needs. Image © feey-Unsplash via Canva.com
Can I Put My Norfolk Island Pine Outside?
Yes, your Norfolk pine can spend the warmer months outdoors, but wait until temperatures are consistently mild and there is no danger of frost. Move it outside gradually, starting in a protected location rather than placing it immediately in strong sun.
Remember that a plant growing outdoors will usually dry out faster than it did inside, so check the soil regularly. Bring it back indoors before temperatures become too cold in fall.
Can You Plant a Norfolk Island Pine in the Ground?
Only in warm climates, and only if you have lots and lots of space!
Norfolk Island pines are tropical trees and are generally hardy outdoors year-round in USDA Zones 10–11. In colder climates, they need to remain container plants that come indoors for winter.
And keep its eventual size in mind before planting one in the landscape. Norfolk Island pines can grow 60–80 feet tall and 12–20 feet wide, making them a difficult tree for many residential properties to accommodate. That little Christmas-tree-shaped plant can eventually become a very large tree, so make sure you have plenty of space for its mature size before planting one in the ground.
With the right care, your holiday Norfolk pine may still be going strong when next Christmas rolls around, and for many years beyond. Image © Image © feey-Unsplash via Canva.com