Norfolk Island Pines: The Christmas Tree That Grew Too Tall

A lot of Norfolk Island pines in Volusia County started life as a living Christmas tree in a pot. Somebody planted it in the yard in January, and thirty years later it is the tallest thing on the street. That is the story behind most of the ones we get called about in New Smyrna Beach, Port Orange and Ponce Inlet.

They are striking trees. They are also among the most frequently lightning-struck and wind-damaged trees on the coast, and they end up much closer to houses than anyone would plant them on purpose.

What it is and is not

Norfolk Island pine is not a true pine. It is an Araucaria, a Southern Hemisphere conifer with the tiered, symmetrical branching that makes it look like a drawing of a tree. It is not cold-hardy much north of us, which is why coastal Volusia is about the limit of where you see big ones. Inland, a hard freeze sets them back or kills the top.

On a good site it grows fast and straight and gets very tall, with a slender trunk and a narrow crown. That form is the source of most of its problems.

Lightning

A tall, narrow, pointed tree standing above everything around it is a lightning rod. Norfolk Island pines are hit constantly in our summer storm season. A strike often kills the top, and the tree responds by pushing out multiple new leaders, which ruins the symmetry and creates weak attachments. Some strikes kill the tree outright, and it can take months to be sure.

If your Norfolk pine was struck, our post on lightning-struck trees explains how to tell whether it is going to make it. Do not rush to remove one that still has green foliage; do keep an eye on it and keep people away from anything that might drop.

Wind

In a hurricane, Norfolk Island pines snap. The trunk is relatively slender for its height, the wood is not strong, and the whole tree acts as a lever in the wind. They break partway up, and the top comes down on whatever is beneath. On the beachside they also take salt burn, which browns the windward side and leaves the tree looking half dead after a storm. Salt burn alone usually is not fatal; a broken top is a structural problem the tree never fully corrects.

Because they are so often planted close to houses, a snapped Norfolk pine frequently lands on the roof. That is the call we get after every named storm.

Roots and stability

The root system is not especially deep, and in sandy coastal soil with a high water table a tall Norfolk pine can also uproot. A mature one with a lean that was not there before, or with soil heaving on one side, needs to be looked at promptly. See My Tree Is Leaning for what a new lean means.

Pruning

There is not much to prune on a healthy Norfolk pine and not much you should. Removing lower tiers of branches for clearance is fine. Topping it to reduce height is not: the tree does not regrow a proper leader, and you end up with a flat-topped trunk sprouting a cluster of weak stems, which is worse in wind than what you started with.

If the tree is too tall for its position, the honest answer is usually removal rather than reduction.

Removal

A big Norfolk Island pine is straightforward to remove where there is room to fell it, and it is a rigging or crane job where there is not. The trunk is heavy but the limbs are light, so sectioning goes relatively quickly. The stump is not large for the size of the tree and grinds easily. Our tree removal page covers how we approach trees close to structures.

Should you plant one?

If you have an open site well away from the house and you like the look, on the coast it will do fine until the lightning or the wind finds it. On a typical residential lot it is a poor choice, and the potted Christmas tree is best kept in the pot.

Frequently asked questions

My Norfolk pine turned brown after the hurricane. Is it dead?

Not necessarily. Salt spray browns the foliage on the exposed side and the tree often pushes new growth in spring. If the top is broken or the trunk cracked, that is a different situation. Give it a season if the trunk is sound.

Can the top be cut off to make it shorter?

You can, and it will survive, but it will not look like a Norfolk pine afterward and the new leaders are weak. We do not recommend it on a tree near a structure.

How tall do they get here?

Very tall. Mature specimens on the coast tower over two-story houses. Plan for that, not for the size it is in the nursery pot.

Is it protected?

Norfolk Island pine is not native, and most local ordinances do not protect it. Check with your municipality; rules vary.

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ArboristRX removes and assesses Norfolk Island pines in New Smyrna Beach, Port Orange, Ponce Inlet, Edgewater and across coastal Volusia County. Call (386) 444-5959.