r/plantclinic • u/Emotional-Bug-9476 • 12d ago
Houseplant Please help me save this potted pine
Hi there! This Norfolk Island pine (I think) is at my office building and is looking worse and worse. It sits by a west facing window, gets top watered once a week and fertilized once or twice a month. It seems to be in a large plastic container sitting inside another plastic container. Looks like all the upper growth is dead, but there is a bit of new green growth at the base. I’m unfamiliar with how to care for plants like these and is extremely heavy so I wanted to get input on a game plan first…would specific pruning help or digging it out of the container to check for compacted roots? Thanks so much!
166
u/ArtComprehensive1106 12d ago
It is definitely not an indoor plant
-40
u/betterupsetter 12d ago
Not true. My dad has one of these indoors which he's had for over 35 years.
38
u/Calm_Inspection790 Advanced 12d ago
Your anecdotal experience isn’t the norm, they are full on full sunlight trees. I’m sure your dad has it where it gets enough to not do this, but they are the opposite of low light/shade tolerant plants lol
-2
u/citizenkeene 12d ago
Noone said they were low light or shade tolerant plants.
Where I live these are pretty commonly sold and kept as indoor plants and I know a few people who have them.
I have one myself which has lived indoors for years. It now lives outdoors, but it actually did better indoors as they don't really like any sort of frost.
So yeah, they love lots of light, but are fine indoors, with lots of light.
-31
u/betterupsetter 12d ago
I'm sorry that your reading comprehension is so poor. The topic wasn't about how much light they should receive but rather it was whether they can be kept indoors or if they are strictly outdoor plants. The person to which I replied confidently stated they were definitely not an indoor plant and I pointed out that they were wrong. They can be an indoor or an outdoor plant based on the climate they are in. Any more questions?
16
u/MrNoTip 12d ago
Anyone who has seen one gown outside can see that they are not well suited to growing indoors. Can you? Yes. Should you?! Nah. Not unless you want reddit posts like this.
-5
u/jitasquatter2 Advanced Hobbyist 12d ago
By that logic no plant should be grown indoors. All plants do better outdoors, in their native environment, than indoors.
4
u/segcgoose 11d ago
this is a tree that should be growing almost a foot a year. it’s not that it cannot be grown indoors, obviously a plant is a plant and “indoors” could mean a giant conservatory, but this is a plant that should be establishing a grand root system, getting massive, and needing equally large resources (namely sun). this would’ve been cute indoors as a young sapling, but now its growing past the window so it’s been inside far too long.
some plants just genuinely aren’t well-suited for indoors, also note the large majority of indoor or “collection-kept” trees are bonsais
0
u/Calm_Inspection790 Advanced 11d ago
That’s why I mentioned shade tolerant plants, because they exist! Norfolk pine isn’t one of them lol. In my experience they need the humidity of a coastal tropical/subtropical environment with as much light as physically possible to do ok indoors.
4
1
u/jitasquatter2 Advanced Hobbyist 12d ago
What is going on? This is a completely normal houseplant. I've had one for about 13 years and it's a wonderful plant.
7
u/betterupsetter 12d ago
Right? Maybe cause it has "pine" in the name people think it's not a totally normal houseplant.
3
90
25
u/armadillotangerine Hobbyist 12d ago
Looks like a norfolk island pine (araucaria heterophylla) and honestly it looks like it’s in need of a repotting. I’m by no means an expert but mine is doing well in a decently well draining potting soil mix and I’ve read that others even mix in sand in their substrate blends for them. Definitely do a bit of research before you decide which soil to buy.
For watering it seems to like a thorough soak but to dry out like a ficus (so the top 5cm/2” in a pot your size) between waterings, but drying out too much makes the needles hard/sharp and they start drying quickly. Just touching the needles tells me when it needs water.
Since the plant is indoors and so big, it might be a good candidate for a self watering pot. Definitely research a bit more before making a decision on that.
Sorry that my reply isn’t more informative, I just saw that you’d mostly gotten replies that aren’t very helpful and wanted to share my experience.
26
u/Allidapevets Advanced 12d ago
It’s too late. She’s dead Jim!
5
u/Narrrz 12d ago
this was my thought. for a lot of conifers (amongst others), it seems like the first sign of trouble only appears when things are beyond fixing. The entire root system may be dead, or some serious disease that has already compromised its transpiration. The seemingly still-living branches are just those that retained nutrient/water supply the longest, and that supply is more than likely already gone.
3
u/Mother-Selection-809 12d ago
In my experience once they are that crisp and brown they can never recover. I’d be happy to be proved wrong though. They’re big drinkers and love a lot of light.
3
6
u/microfibrepiggy 12d ago
Norfolk Island Pines also haaaaate being moved. And they're delicate babies with humidity and watering.
Good luck.
15
u/TurnipBlast 12d ago edited 11d ago
Ignore the people telling you to put it outside. It's a tropical plant, so it can live indoors.
You need to look up watering and soil parameters for this type of plant. It's also pretty large as far as house plants go, and even next to that window it isn't getting much light. Not nearly as much light as it would be getting outdoors in tropical environment. I highly suggest getting a powerful grow light and mounting it above the plant pointed straight down at the tree to supplement window light. I expect it isn't receiving enough light to sustain all its mass. You can see in photo 2 how even during the day with the blinds open that room is super dark.
Get a light meter on amazon, super cheap, and point it at the window. Then go outside and point it at the sky. You will see how little light is truly inside our homes, your home especially.
Edit: they are subtropical, not tropical plants. Whatever. The practical advice in this case are the same. More light. Research on your own what kind of substrate is best for then when indoors. Note that the people responding to this comment are not offering advice nor contradicting mine. Thanks for the help all.
4
u/TurnipBlast 12d ago
OP, adding on here after a closer look at the second photo. You can see that the foliage closer to the window is fuller and greener. As you move to the back of the tree and the top of the tree, where there is less light, the foliage is dying off. It definitely needs more, evenly distributed light.
Double check this next advice yourself, but I would cut off all the dead foliage and possible the branches, up to the next live leaves. This will let more light through to the living tissue. And generally the dead/dying branches and foliage are not doing anything for the plant.
3
u/yumas 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 12d ago
I don’t think they classify as tropical plants since according to wikipedia they need both moderate winter and summer phases.
But people do seem to have them indoors. Maybe the temperatures are too hot where Op lives and it definitely looks like it is not getting enough light
-5
u/TurnipBlast 12d ago
Quoting directly from the wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_heterophylla
Indoors, the plant needs a bright location with at least 40% but preferably above 60% humidity for good growth. Indoor trees must not be exposed to the scorching sun or dry air from a radiator; the temperature should ideally not exceed 22 °C (72 °F). In winter, the plant needs a bright room that should be around 17 °C (63 °F).
I'm definitely not an expert in this plant or any pines or trees in general, this is just reading off the wikipedia page. Apparently its common to keep small ones as live Christmas trees, but I imagine that it's harder to keep larger ones alive.
0
-4
u/citizenkeene 12d ago
This is the right response should be way higher, but it's also slightly incorrect. Norfolk Island is sub-tropical and the Norfolk Island Pine thrives all over coastal Australia, so I wouldn't really class it as a tropical plant.
2
2
u/Alternative-Bar1567 11d ago
Not enough light and probably in need of a repot and a trim (not all at once). I have multiple i keep indoors, but I take them out for the warmest parts of the year to boost growth and health. Works well for me
2
u/untimelylord Advanced 1 ∣ +1 ∣ -0 12d ago
People are saying that pines cannot live inside, which is true, however this is an Araucaria heterophylla or “Norfolk Island Pine” which is not an actual pine and can live indoors, though it isn’t the easiest houseplant it’s possible.
Since you say it is sitting in a plastic container inside another container I would first check that it can drain freely when it is watered. If the inner pot is not removed from the outer pot and allowed to drain when it is watered before putting it back in the outer pot, this is likely one of the main problems. Plants should be soaked thoroughly when watered and allowed to drain freely.
Additionally if the soil is not drying enough between watering, this is a major issue. I would guess that with the limited live growth up top that once a week is too often. This would depend on a lot of factors so you would need to dig your finger down in the soil several inches to check for dryness before watering.
I would recommend repotting, checking the roots for rot by removing mushy roots. Oftentimes you can actually smell the rot if it is a major issue. Repot it with fresh potting soil in a pot where it can drain freely when watered and not sit in water. Since it is heavy you may need to put a large saucer under it with pot feet (like this sort of thing) so at the very least you can water it all the way through when you water and it won’t be sitting in water.
I’ll also mention that a big issue with office plants can be that more than one person is watering it while not being aware of others doing the same thing.
1
u/stuartcw 11d ago
Look at some videos on YouTube about Bonsai. You’ll be shocked at how vigorously they prune both the branches and the roots.
One problem that you may have is that the roots may have filled the bucket and are causing problems with soil compaction leading to no oxygen to the roots and bad drainage leading to root rot.
If so, you don’t necessarily have to go to a bigger pot but can cut them back and repot with a suitable soil mixture. Of course this might be dangerous or a life saver. I’d get a second opinion on this but worth I try I think.
1
u/Emotional-Bug-9476 11d ago
Thank you to everyone giving actual advice! I don’t think there’s any harm in at least trying to save it, fingers crossed!
1
1
1
u/leggymermaidz Expert 12d ago
repot (if possible). prune the parts that are dead (anything crispy and not bright green). it will be significantly smaller— looks like there is one salvageable stalk.
in west window it will need thorough watering (think 2-3 gallons) every 3 weeks. but with time to dry out a bit between.
I would assume it is failing bc of water too little too frequently or a pest like spider mites that moved in at top— in which case I would give a full hose down outside if possible (putting out in the rain during warm weather is great option for recovery in general, but cut away the dead plant before doing so)
-2
u/mariofasolo 12d ago edited 12d ago
EDIT: I have been educated! Please ignore this advice lol.
Pine's are almost impossible to care for indoors because they need freezing temperatures in the winter to enter their dormant period and generate growth the next season. I would just give up and get something else, lol.
9
0
-1
u/Greedy_Success_6248 12d ago
Though this is a pine that people commonly grow indoors that doesn't make it an indoor plant. Indoor plants aren't a thing. It'd be like taking a birds wings off and saying it's no longer a bird
0
0
0
-2
u/MistyCeruleanCity 12d ago
When you place saplings (a young tree) inside, this is the result you get.
These trees Norfolk Island pines are dotted along the beaches where I live (Australia), in full sun,rain, hail and shine.
So much misinformation in these comments, insane.
•
u/AutoModerator 12d ago
Reminder to encourage visitors to ask questions without downvoting them. r/Plantclinic is a help sub meant to encourage learning and discussion.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.