Life Span of a Norfolk Pine

sling blade

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Jan 14, 2007, 2:07:02 AM1/14/07

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Hi,

Can someone please let me know the average life span of a Norfolk Pine
grown outdoors?

Thanks!

Cearbhaill

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Jan 14, 2007, 6:56:53 AM1/14/07

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"sling blade" <scot...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1168758421.9...@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

> Hi,
>
> Can someone please let me know the average life span of a Norfolk Pine
> grown outdoors?
>

Longer than you'll ever live to see.
I found mention of 1000 year old NIP's in Chile, but most sites list 150
years.

--
Toni
South Florida USA
USDA Zone 10
http://www.cearbhaill.com

told2b

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Jan 14, 2007, 12:23:42 PM1/14/07

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Depends where you live.
"Although this plant enjoys cooler termperatures (about 65 degrees
Fahrenheit), it does not fare well in areas where frost occurs. The
frost can cause great damage to its tender needles, possibly resulting
in the death of the plant. In the United States, some of these plants
can survive in Florida, but not any further north."
HTH

David E. Ross

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Jan 14, 2007, 12:56:52 PM1/14/07

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In California, Norfolk Island pines (Araucaria heterophylla) do well in
coastal areas as far north as San Fransico Bay. In southern California,
they thrive in much of Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego
Counties.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at <http://www.rossde.com/garden/>

Paulo da Costa

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Jan 14, 2007, 4:58:46 PM1/14/07

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Cearbhaill wrote:
> "sling blade" <scot...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1168758421.9...@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>> Hi,
>>
>> Can someone please let me know the average life span of a Norfolk
>> Pine grown outdoors?
>>
> Longer than you'll ever live to see.
> I found mention of 1000 year old NIP's in Chile, but most sites list
> 150 years.

Not Chile surely, as Norfolk Island Pines comes from N. I. near
Australia. Araucaria araucana comes from Chile, and Araucaria
angustifolia from southern Brazil.

That being said, it depends on the climate where you live. N. I. Pines
used to be popular in Rio de Janeiro when I was growing up, but they
last only a few decades there (I've heard of several cases where the
roots gave way and the tree went on to lean against a wall). They can
also be seen growing outdoors in the San Francisco Bay area, where I
live now. On the coast, you can see very large ones, they have obviously
been there more than a few decades (but I doubt that anybody has
experience growing them for much longer than 150 years outside of
Norfolk Island, certainly not in California).

Paulo

sling blade

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Jan 15, 2007, 12:59:22 AM1/15/07

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I live in New Zealand and the temps are moderate and no chance of a
frost where I live (Auckland). Looks like I can rely on the tree just
out of my front door living a long time.

I just hope the roots don't get too big.

Thanks for all of the great answers!

Cheers

GreenieLeBrun

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Jan 15, 2007, 11:19:03 PM1/15/07

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There are a number of Norfolk Island Pines in the Queen Victoria Gardens at
Beechworth in north-east Victoria (Australia). The park was started in 1862
and the trees were donated by Fredrick von Mueller (the head of the Royal
Botanical Gardens in Melbourne). I don't know the date of the donation but
von Mueller died in 1896 so that makes these trees well over 100 years old
and still going strong.