Earlier this month I stopped by a retail chain department store to purchase some poinsettias.  Displayed next to the poinsettias were some attractive 3 ½ foot Norfolk Island Pine trees (Araucana heterophylla) decorated with red bows being sold for $15.  Seeming like a good deal, I impulsively bought one.

The tree is native to Norfolk Island in Australia.  Captain Cook discovered the island on his second ship voyage to the South Pacific.  When he saw the Norfolk Island Pines he thought they would be good for making ship masts and yards.  But they latter proved unsuitable for that purpose.

On Norfolk Island the tree can grow to over 200 feet tall.  However, according to the San Francisco Botanic Garden website, it grows to a mere 100 feet in the Bay Area.  Technically it's not a true pine tree, since it is not in the genus Pinus, although they resemble pine trees in appearance.  Not as hardy as true pine trees, it is winter hardy down to USDA zone 9.

They are frequently grown as houseplants, or indoor Christmas trees.  If grown as a houseplant, it grows best when it receives several hours of sunlight each day and light afternoon shade.  It tolerates most well drained soils.  Biweekly or weekly application of a liquid balanced fertilizer is often recommended during the spring.