Araucaria heterophylla - Norfolk Island Pine - Unusual Potted Christmas Tree Option!
Sprouts of BristolThe Norfolk Island Pine is a lush indoor evergreen tree recognisable by its symmetrical, tiered branches and delicate, feathery green needles. It may technically not be a true pine, but it still brings those evergreen conifer foliage vibes indoors, and grows into an elegant focal point over time. Its adaptable nature and easy care make it popular as a year-round indoor tree or even as a living Christmas tree. Look out for these bright green needles and tiered branches as a fashionable houseplant and bauble-covered beauty this festive season and beyond.
Scientific Name
Araucaria heterophylla (different-leaved tree from Araucania)
Synonyms
Pinus columbaria, Abies columbaria, Eutassa heterophylla
This species was first published in a 1952 paper under this name, though it had been known by a handful of other names throughout the 19th Century.
Common Name(s)
Norfolk Island Pine, Australian Pine, Star Pine, Triangle Tree
Origin
Native to Norfolk Island, a small island in the Pacific Ocean in Oceania, between New Zealand and New Caledonia.
Light
Prefers bright, indirect light. This plant can adapt to lower light conditions, but growth will slow. Avoid harsh sun which can scorch its needles.
Water
Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Water thoroughly, allowing excess to drain, and let the top inch of soil dry out between waterings. Reduce in winter when growth will slow.
Humidity
Appreciates moderate to high humidity. Dry air can cause needle drop, so avoid placing near radiators or heaters. This plant will appreciate the introduction of a pebble tray to increase local humidity where necessary.
Soil
Use a well-draining, slightly acidic potting mix. A blend designed for indoor trees or cacti and succulents, with added sand and grit, should work well. Your tree will like to be slightly potbound, so repot only when necessary every few years into a pot only slightly bigger.
Food
Feed every 2-3 months in spring and summer with a balanced, water-soluble fertiliser. Stop feeding in autumn and winter when the plant isn't growing.
Temp
Prefers cooler indoor temperatures between 16-24°C. Make sure the temperature stays above 10°C, avoiding cold draughts or heater blasts.
Pet-Safe
No; while the plant is non-toxic, the needles can be sharp. Keep out of reach of curious pets.
Sprouts Top Tips
Rotate the plant regularly for even growth, as it will naturally lean towards the light. If needles start turning brown or dropping, it could be due to dry air or irregular watering - adjust humidity and water schedule accordingly.
Extras
As it grows taller, it may need occasional staking to keep it upright. In time, it can reach a height of 1.5-2 metres indoors.
Did You Know?
Norfolk Island Pines are actually closer relatives to ancient conifers than to true pines and are some of the last living species from the Jurassic period, making them living relics of Earth’s prehistoric forests.
Important Information
If you have any questions, please check out the below or get in touch via our contact formWe're devoted to sending our customers quality plants with the best service around. Every plant is backed by our 7-day guarantee, so they arrive in good health.
Our team takes extra steps when prepping plants for transportation, but they're still sensitive to changes, so there may be minor cosmetic issues. We always aim to photograph and disclose any flaws before shipping, but a living creature travelling across the country in a box can take a hot minute to adjust to its new life.
If you have any issues within 7 days of receiving your order, holler at our customer support team on our contact form with your order details and some pics of the issue. After the guarantee has expired, though, we can't refund as we can't guarantee care and environmental factors. If you repot the plant during the 7 days, the guarantee is void.
We have been sending plants up and down the country for many year now and we like to think we have our way down to an art.
We protect the plant from falling out of the soil with tissue paper and tape if needed, then we wrap the plant in corrugated cardboard, and sometimes we protect the leaves with extra tissue paper if required. This is then placed into a box and if there is any empty space, we fill this with void fill to stop the plants moving around inside the box. Sometimes we will write a note on your packing slip to water the plant on arrival, so please look out for this. This is due a freshly watered plant going in a box will not only be soggy, but as the plant is in darkness this can sometimes make the plant unhappy when just freshly watered.
If your plant arrives to you unhappy, please send us a photo of the plant and packaging if relevant straight away, so we can advise you.
Online orders are packed and dispatched within a few days. Usually depending on volumes, we aim to get your order dispatched within 1 working day. We have collections from Royal Mail 6 days a week so deliveries tend to be speedy.
Our standard parcel delivery service is £4.99 for Royal Mail Tracked48, you can upgrade to Tracked24 for £2.50.
We do offer a Tracked48 Large Letter option for £2.99, and Tracked24 for £1 extra, but this only applies to products less than 2.5cm thick.
*Deliveries 7 days a week only included Tracked24 parcels.
Link to your shipping policy
We get a lot of boxes, packaging and whatnot at Sprouts from all our various supplier's deliveries. We re-use this packaging material where possible, plus we take in donations from local businesses and customers to our shop to avoid excess packaging going to landfill. Sometimes your delivery might look a little different, or come in a branded box from another company, but rest assured the items inside are carefully packed with love and attention inside. We use paper tape and all our branded materials included are fully recyclable. Sometimes we use polystyrene, bubble wrap or plastic wrap in the packaging, all these items are not new and where possible, please use them again.
We have partnered with Zedify to offer low-carbon deliveries in Central Bristol for £6.99.
Zedify collect and deliver orders from us Monday - Friday and will usually deliver your order the same day its collected. If you place your order before 11am, we will aim to get it collected the same day but this isnt always possible. When you have received your dispatch email, Zedify should be delivering your order the same day, anytime before 6pm.
We cannot give an idea of time, but if you would prefer delivery on a certain date (Monday - Friday) please get in touch or leave a note at check out with your preferred delivery date and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
Zedify deliver to the following postcodes BS1, BS2, BS3, BS4, BS5, BS6, BS7, BS8 (1, 2, 3A - 3N, 4), BS9 (1,3,4).
Select click and collect at checkout to collect your order from our Bristol shop.
You will get an email when your order is ready to collect, where possible please come and collect your order the same day as we have limited space. If you are going to collect your order at a later date, please let us know in the message box at check out so we know when to expect you. Some items such as gift sets, kits and pre-order items may not be ready to collect the same day, again please let us know what day you would like to collect and we will let you know if there's any issues.
We do not offer free returns, but if you are unhappy with your delivery, please get in touch. If your parcel or order has been damaged, please take photos and send these over to our team so we can look into this for you.
If you have ordered an item and you would like to exchange it, we should be able to do this for you. There may be an extra charge for delivery, but get in touch to discuss. For plants there is a 7 day return policy and 30 days for everything else, apart from sale items which are none returnable.
You can return or exchange in our Bristol shop for free.
Customer Reviews
Once these trees mature they look AMAZING they were so cheap and look great!
We bought this online as an alternative to a Christmas tree, it was packed very carefully arrived really healthy! I
Fell in love with these unique trees that look like a star when looking down. I have had a potted Christmas tree for years and have struggled to keep them happy the rest of the year and bring bugs back inside. I was sold when I found out these can stay inside as a houseplant all year and do not grow quickly. Plus, pet safe is a win-win for funky Christmas and all-year large plant vibes.
Check out The Sprouts Blog
Sprouts insights to house plants, gardening, our favourite brands and plant hire case studies.
