Houseplants - Norfolk Island Pine
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  (February) My son has had a Norfolk pine for eight years. It started looking unhealthy last October, so we repotted it. It was not root bound and it started looking worse. The needles and the branches are turning under. Some are brown and fall off. The door to the room had been closed. Until last fall, it was fine. Could it be with the heat turned on and the door closed it was too warm in the room for it? He has opened the door to the room now but it really is not looking any better. Should we give it some time to improve or is it too late? Please let me know what you think.

  Norfolk Island Pines can be a bit finicky, but I am surprised that it waited eight years before failing. Besides the closed door, was there anything else that had changed--light, water, etc.? Norfolk pines like it warm and humid, and can get brown needles from drying out if a heating vent hits them. Our houses are quite dry in the winter, and low humidity is more of an issue when it is extremely hot, so that is possible. Too much water causes leaves to fall but they usually are soft, while too dry causes leaves to fall that are brown and brittle. If conditions were changed, try to go back to the conditions that it had before it started struggling, and see if you can keep it alive until spring. Then you could move it outside, do a little corrective pruning, and it will probably bounce back.

  I received a Norfolk Island Pine for Christmas. Could you please tell me how I should take care of this plant.

  Norfolk Island Pine can be a finicky plant. It needs to be kept evenly moist, but cannot stand in water. Give it bright indirect light and avoid any drafts from heating vents, which can dry out the needles.

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