Araucaria heterophylla: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Indigenous people harvested edible seeds and utilized this tree's lumber. Commercial use has been discouraged to protect this vulnerable species from decline.
Plant Profile: Araucaria heterophylla
Taxonomy: Araucaria heterophyllaNames
Australian Pine, House Pine, Living Christmas Tree, Norfolk Island Pine, Norfolk-Island-Pine, Norfolk Pine, Polynesian Pine, Star Pine, Triangle Tree
Phonetic Spelling:ar-ah-KAR-ee-uh het-er-oh-FIL-uh
Genus:Araucaria
Species:heterophylla
Family:Araucariaceae
The Araucaria genus includes around 19 species of coniferous trees resembling pines, primarily found in the southern hemisphere. One notable species is the Norfolk Island Pine, which is native to Norfolk Island located in the Pacific Ocean, east of Sydney, Australia, and situated between New Zealand and New Caledonia. Although it is not indigenous to North America, it is well-suited for indoor cultivation as a houseplant. This tree features an elegant pyramidal form with wide-spaced branches that are symmetrically arranged in whorled, horizontal tiers around a single, straight trunk, typically showcasing five branches per whorl. In its natural environment, it can grow up to 200 feet tall, while cultivated specimens in subtropical or Mediterranean climates usually reach heights of 60 to 100 feet, with a spread of 12 to 60 feet. The Norfolk Island Pine thrives in open, sunny areas with sufficient space for its considerable size and prefers well-drained soil. When grown outdoors, its surface roots can disrupt lawn maintenance or lift sidewalks, and its large cones may create litter. Consequently, some residential areas restrict its use in landscaping due to the potential hazards posed by large, falling branches.
As an indoor plant, the Norfolk Island Pine is a compact evergreen characterized by sword-like leaves that curve inward in an overlapping herringbone pattern along its tiered branches. It flourishes in bright, cool environments (ideally between 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit) and can grow up to 9 feet tall indoors. For optimal growth, use a fertile, porous potting mix that is sandy, peaty, slightly acidic, and well-drained. While full sun is generally best for achieving compact and symmetrical growth, providing light afternoon shade can help prevent foliage bleaching, which manifests as yellowing leaves. This houseplant typically adapts well to the warm, dry conditions common in most homes and offices. It is advisable to apply a diluted liquid fertilizer weekly or biweekly from spring through fall and to water regularly during the spring and autumn months, ensuring the soil does not become overly saturated. In winter, misting in heated rooms and reducing watering frequency is recommended.
In terms of pests and diseases, the Norfolk Island Pine is largely resistant to infestations but can be vulnerable to scale, sooty mold, and leaf spot. Tall outdoor specimens may also be at risk of lightning damage. Indoor plants can endure low light conditions for 2 to 3 years, but may subsequently experience leaf drop and the loss of lower branches. The tree's height can also pose a challenge for indoor cultivation, depending on its placement.
Araucaria heterophylla Feature Summary
Araucaria heterophylla Image Gallery
Tags
#evergreen
#full sun tolerant
#houseplant
#tree
#interiorscape
#afternoon shade
#needled evergreen
#fantz
#Christmas tree
#Christmas decorations
#non-toxic for horses
#non-toxic for dogs
#non-toxic for cats
#tropical feel
Similar Plants
Araucaria heterophylla is often confused with:
Araucaria heterophylla Feature Summary
Attributes
Indigenous people harvested edible seeds and utilized this tree's lumber. Commercial use has been discouraged to protect this vulnerable species from decline.
Norfolk Island (off Australia's east coast)
Endemic distribution occurs in Norfolk Island (in the Pacific Ocean, off Australia's east coast between New Zealand and New Caledonia). It occurs as a cultivated plant in many subtropical and Mediterranean climates. In the U.S. it has been introduced in Florida and coastal southern California.
Seeds are a food source for small mammals
dry indoor atmosphere
Seeds are edible (nut-like)
Perennial
Woody
Textural
Fruit
Trees are generally dioecious, having male and female cones on separate trees, however, both male and female cones occasionally appear on the same tree. Spiny, globose female seed cones, weighing 10-15 pounds, require 18 months to mature then drop to the ground where they release the seeds.
Green
Brown/Copper
Summer
Fall
> 3 inches
> 3 inches
Leaves
Dark green, awl-shaped, lanceolate, 1/2 inch long leaves are arranged in a dense, spiral, scale-like pattern along the stem. leaves are soft with sharp pointed ends. The leaves turn inward, overlapping in a herringbone pattern and point toward the stem ends.
Needled Evergreen
Green
Simple
Other/more complex
Linear
Filiform
Lanceolate
Entire
< 1 inch
Prickly
Soft
< 1 inch
Bark
Rough dark brown bark
Dark Brown
Stem
This plant has whorled branches with typically five branches per whorl. Hard, gray-brown, resinous; branches whorled, spreading, herringbone, branchlets covered with upturned leaves.
Brown/Copper
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Tree
Houseplant
Needled Evergreen
Erect
Columnar
Pyramidal
Rapid
Low
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
more than 60 feet
24-60 feet
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
High Organic Matter
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Accent
Specimen
Deer
Wind
Salt
Lawn
Houseplants
Coastal
Vertical Spaces
Messy
Araucaria heterophylla Image Gallery
Araucaria heterophylla Attributes
Araucaria heterophylla: Country Or Region Of Origin
Norfolk Island (off Australia's east coast)
Araucaria heterophylla: Distribution
Endemic distribution occurs in Norfolk Island (in the Pacific Ocean, off Australia's east coast between New Zealand and New Caledonia). It occurs as a cultivated plant in many subtropical and Mediterranean climates. In the U.S. it has been introduced in Florida and coastal southern California.
Araucaria heterophylla: Wildlife Value
Seeds are a food source for small mammals
Araucaria heterophylla: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
dry indoor atmosphere
Araucaria heterophylla: Edibility
Seeds are edible (nut-like)
Araucaria heterophylla: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Araucaria heterophylla: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Araucaria heterophylla: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Araucaria heterophylla Fruit
Araucaria heterophylla: Fruit Description
Trees are generally dioecious, having male and female cones on separate trees, however, both male and female cones occasionally appear on the same tree. Spiny, globose female seed cones, weighing 10-15 pounds, require 18 months to mature then drop to the ground where they release the seeds.
Araucaria heterophylla: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Green
Araucaria heterophylla: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Araucaria heterophylla: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Araucaria heterophylla: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Araucaria heterophylla Leaves
Araucaria heterophylla: Leaf Description
Dark green, awl-shaped, lanceolate, 1/2 inch long leaves are arranged in a dense, spiral, scale-like pattern along the stem. leaves are soft with sharp pointed ends. The leaves turn inward, overlapping in a herringbone pattern and point toward the stem ends.
Araucaria heterophylla: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Araucaria heterophylla: Leaf Color
Green
Araucaria heterophylla: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Araucaria heterophylla: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Araucaria heterophylla: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Araucaria heterophylla: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Araucaria heterophylla: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Araucaria heterophylla: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Araucaria heterophylla: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Araucaria heterophylla: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Araucaria heterophylla Bark
Araucaria heterophylla: Bark Description
Rough dark brown bark
Araucaria heterophylla: Bark Color
Dark Brown
Araucaria heterophylla Stem
Araucaria heterophylla: Stem Description
This plant has whorled branches with typically five branches per whorl. Hard, gray-brown, resinous; branches whorled, spreading, herringbone, branchlets covered with upturned leaves.
Araucaria heterophylla: Stem Color
Brown/Copper
Araucaria heterophylla: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Araucaria heterophylla Whole Plant Traits
Araucaria heterophylla: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Araucaria heterophylla: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Araucaria heterophylla: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Araucaria heterophylla: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Araucaria heterophylla: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Araucaria heterophylla: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Araucaria heterophylla Cultural Conditions
Araucaria heterophylla: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Araucaria heterophylla: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Araucaria heterophylla: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Araucaria heterophylla: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Araucaria heterophylla: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
11a
11b
9a
9b
Araucaria heterophylla: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Araucaria heterophylla Landscape
Araucaria heterophylla: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Araucaria heterophylla: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Araucaria heterophylla: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Araucaria heterophylla: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
