Norfolk pine slowly dying
eco...@aspect.com
dying: from the bottom up, and, from the end of the branches inward.
I have tried the following: * put the pot in a container with stones and
water * move it outdoors - I live in the San Francisco Bay area * spray for
mites. I did the test of tapping the affected branchs on to a white sheet of
paper and looking for red or yellow mites. I did not see any but I sprayed
anyway. I sprayed yesterday so do not know the results.
Any ideas?
Eric
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
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dd
> I have had a 4 foot Norfolk pine for about 1 year. The branches are slowly
> dying: from the bottom up, and, from the end of the branches inward.
>
> I have tried the following: * put the pot in a container with stones and
> water * move it outdoors - I live in the San Francisco Bay area * spray for
> mites. I did the test of tapping the affected branchs on to a white sheet of
> paper and looking for red or yellow mites. I did not see any but I sprayed
> anyway. I sprayed yesterday so do not know the results.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Eric
Hi Eric!
If you're in the Bay Area, you can probably grow this tree out-doors year
round, and air movement probably wouldn't be a bad idea. (Where in the Bay
Area are you?)
It could be rootbound. Is it in a very small container for the size of the
tree? You may want to carefully lift the container out of the pot by
turning it upside down, and gently tapping the bottom until the rootball
begins to slip out. These trees develop roots relatively slowly, and
aren't likely to fill the pot like other plants might, but check anyway.
If the roots are tightly wound up, the tree would pr a bigger home, or
even planting outside depending on where in the Bay Area you are.
Do you get Hetch Hetchy water in your area or do you get EBMUD water
(which is often very, very much worse). If your water is bad, and if you
wont be planting it outdoors, you may need to regularly leach the salt
accummulation out of the pot. To do this, submerge the pot underwater in a
deep enough bucket (use a brick or 2 to weigh down the rootball. Let the
plant sit under water until the bubbles stop and the roots are sopping
wet. Take the plant out of the bucket, empty the water and let the tree
drain, wait 1/2 hour, then repeat the process with fresh water. Do this 2
or 3 or even 4 times in a row, and this should get rid of the salts. This
procedure should be done every couple of months.
Another thing you can try is put a level teaspoon of epsom salts in a 5
gallon bucket of water (first dissolve the stuff in a cup of very hot tap
water to help the stuff dissolve, then pour the dilution into the 5
gallons of colder water). Then water the tree with this dilution. The loss
of older growth could be a nutritional deficiency of either Magnesium
(Epsom Salts is a source of this) or Nitrogen. However, Nitrogen shouldn't
be given this time of year. In the Spring, give the tree a slow-release
formulation for foliage plants or conifers (which will supply some
nitrogen over time), and also give a diluted dose of fish emulsion, will
will kick start the tree while the slow release stuff begins to trickle
into the roots gradually.
If you think it's an insect problem, hit the tree with a winter oil
formulation to smother the insects and the eggs. If you have whiteflies,
you may need to hit it with orthene (Malathion doesn't work very well for
me on whiteflies), but be sure to follow the instructions.
Hope this helps,
David Deutsch
Gondwana Gardens
http://www.gondwana.org
Terri
snip
> It could be rootbound. Is it in a very small container for the size of the
> tree? You may want to carefully lift the container out of the pot by
> turning it upside down, and gently tapping the bottom until the rootball
> begins to slip out. These trees develop roots relatively slowly, and
> aren't likely to fill the pot like other plants might, but check anyway.
> If the roots are tightly wound up, the tree would pr a bigger home, or
> even planting outside depending on where in the Bay Area you are.
I've given growing these things even inside the house. No matter what
I do, I eventually start to see it die. But I must admit I'm more than
curious to what you are talking about with the sentence below????
>
> Do you get Hetch Hetchy water in your area or do you get EBMUD water
> (which is often very, very much worse).
Terri
Extremely curious,
I don't speak for HP and they don't speak for me.
Catherine Abramson
conservatory. They were forever getting rhyzocktonia (I know that
spelling is wrong!). I take the little sucker into the extension
service and let them take some roots for analysis. The Shotgun
Approach won't work.
Cathy
eco...@aspect.com wrote:
>I have had a 4 foot Norfolk pine for about 1 year. The branches are slowly
>dying: from the bottom up, and, from the end of the branches inward.
>
>I have tried the following: * put the pot in a container with stones and
>water * move it outdoors - I live in the San Francisco Bay area * spray for
>mites. I did the test of tapping the affected branchs on to a white sheet of
>paper and looking for red or yellow mites. I did not see any but I sprayed
>anyway. I sprayed yesterday so do not know the results.
>
>Any ideas?
>
>Eric
>
dd
Hi Terri!
These trees aren't that difficult to grow, especially near the ocean,
provided you are in Zone 9 (esp. the warmer parts). If you are in the Bay
Area (which seems unlikely since you don't know what Hetch Hetchy is
:-) you should be able to try it in all but the coldest micro-climates
(I've seen it growing in Modesto!)
Hetch Hetchy is the infamous reservoir in the heart of Yosemite which is
the primary supplier of water to the San Francisco city area (and a few
adjacent ones as well, I am told). I say infamous because around the turn
of the century (perhaps a few years before?), the reservoir didn't exist.
Before the reservoir flooded it, it used to be one of the most spectacular
glacial valleys in the country (I believed it was known as the Grand
Canyon of the Sierras or something similarly hyperbolic). Supposedly it
was more beautiful and more majestic than Yosemite Valley itself. However,
the powers that be, in one of the first ecological battlefields of this
country planned to flood it in order to provide San Francisco with a
guaranteed source of water to assure its continued growth and prosperity
(etc. etc. etc.). The conservation movement of the day (headed by John
Muir himself) fought tooth and nail to block the building of the dam and
reservoir, but in the end the good old boys won, the reservoir was built,
and one of the wonders of the world was flooded and turned into a huge
lake in the Sierra Nevada for the benefit of San Francisco.
The water that comes from Hetch Hetchy is exceptionally good quality (low
salinity and contamination, with high purity), as it is all high elevation
snow melt. I believe all of the City of San Francisco gets Hetch Hetchy
water, and some of the Peninsula communities do as well, but I'm not sure
who (outside SF) gets this wonderful water. The East Bay is supplied with
water by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (aka EBMUD), which has a
few rainwater catchment reservoirs scattered among the Berkeley Hills, but
it also gets a large chunk of its water (so I have heard, I don't know
this for sure) from the Sacramento River (I would hope upstream from the
brackish Delta). That source is supposed to be fresh enough for human
consumption, but many communities in the East Bay complain about their
water quality, regardless of where EBMUD gets it. Having lived in the East
Bay community of Walnut Creek (and having dealt with growers from all over
the the East Bay) I can attest first hand as to the problem (shower heads
clogged by mineral deposits, clothing that feels filthy and rough even
after it's washed, etc.) I regularly checked the pH of water from our tap,
and during the worst of the summer, our pH would hit 8.4 or even higher,
which just made my eyes bug our when I saw it. In winter it was much
better (around 7.7We used to run a reverse osmosis unit to get good water,
but that's expensive and not everyone wants to be bothered with the
expense and hassle.
Plants grown in containers when the water is hard, as everyone knows, will
get salt accumulations in the potting soil, which I why I suggested that
the person who posted originally consider this problem as a possible
reason for the tree's loss of health.
Did I satisfy your curiosity?
:-)
Terri
>
> In article <3634EB...@hp.boi.com>, terri, _mca...@hp.boi.com wrote:
>
> > dd wrote:
> > snip
> > I've given growing these things even inside the house. No matter what
> > I do, I eventually start to see it die. But I must admit I'm more than
> > curious to what you are talking about with the sentence below????
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Do you get Hetch Hetchy water in your area or do you get EBMUD water
> > > (which is often very, very much worse).
> >
> > Terri
> > Extremely curious,
>
> Hi Terri!
>
> These trees aren't that difficult to grow, especially near the ocean,
> provided you are in Zone 9 (esp. the warmer parts). If you are in the Bay
> Area (which seems unlikely since you don't know what Hetch Hetchy is
> :-) you should be able to try it in all but the coldest micro-climates
> (I've seen it growing in Modesto!)
Won't work for me, then. The boi. in my address stands for Boise. But, I
kill
them in the house, too; so perhaps geographical location doesn't matter
at all
for the moi!
:)
snipped very interesting story...
I regularly checked the pH of water from our tap,
> and during the worst of the summer, our pH would hit 8.4 or even higher,
> which just made my eyes bug our when I saw it.
That's an enormous alkaline reading!
> Did I satisfy your curiosity?
Very much so! Fascinating stuff.
Thank you!
Terri
I don't speak for HP and they dont speak for me.
D Kat
rust colored trunk aren't we?
"Norfolk Island pine, House pine
(Araucaria heterophylla)
Contact: Diane Relf, Extension Specialist, Environmental Horticulture
August 1996
DESCRIPTION:
Resembles a true pine tree. Branches are horizontal to main stem, in tiers
of bright green, with soft, awl-shaped needles.
FOLIAGE COLORS:Green
CONTAINER: Large container.
LIGHT: Medium. East or west window, about one thousand footcandles.
WATER: Frequent. Water thoroughly, keep soil evenly moist to touch (not
saturated). Don't let sit in water.
TEMPERATURE:Cool - medium. 50 - 70 (degrees F) days, 45 - 65 nights.
HUMIDITY: Prefers high, 50% or more, good ventilation. Tolerates average
FERTILIZER:Fertilize every 3 - 4 months.
SOIL MIX:1 part sterilized garden loam, 1 part clean coarse sand or Perlite,
and 1/2 to 1 part sphagnum peat moss.
PROPOGATION:Seeds or shoot tips
SELECTION GUIDE:Select sturdy, shapely, healthy plant free from insect and
disease damage. New leaf growth is desirable. Avoid those with yellow or
brown leaf margins, wilted or water soaked leaves.
CARE:Challenging. Difficult to grow under average home conditions. Hobby
plant requiring knowledge and experience.
PROBLEMS:Root rot: Provide adequate drainage. Do not let plant sit in water.
Spider mites: Wash with soapy water and apply miticide.
Leaf scorch: Provide adequate water and humidity. Do not overfertilize.
Leaf drop: Avoid conditions that are too dry or too wet.
COMMENTS: Does not replace damaged top growth, so may easily become
mishapened. Often used as an indoor living Christmas tree.
This material was developed by Carol Ness as part of the Interactive Design
and Development Project funded by the Kellogg Foundation. Mary Miller,
Project Director. Diane Relf, Content Specialist, Horticulture. Copyright
1989 by VCE.
Terri wrote in message <36362F...@hp.boi.com>...
D Kat
d...@gondwana.org
> Isn't Norfolk pine a fern? We are talking the houseplant that has spike
> rust colored trunk aren't we?
No ... it's a conifer. It comes from a sub-tropical island off the coast of
Australia.
David Deutsch
Gondwana Gardens
http://www.gondwana.org
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
Marion Margoshes
>
> Isn't Norfolk pine a fern? We are talking the houseplant that has spike
> rust colored trunk aren't we?
>
-- Is it really a fern? What characteristics makes it a fern?
Spores, etc???
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Marion Margoshes
>
> D Kat wrote in message:
> >Isn't Norfolk pine a fern? We are talking the houseplant that has spike
> >rust colored trunk aren't we?
> >
> >
> >"Norfolk Island pine, House pine
> >(Araucaria heterophylla)
> >Contact: Diane Relf, Extension Specialist, Environmental Horticulture
> >August 1996
> >
>
>
> Firstly, and this may come as a shock to some of you so I hope you are seated.
> Plants actually mostly originated outside, not as house plants.
>
> Secondly this tree (yes tree, BIG tree) originated on Norfolk Island. Which may
> also be a very shocking revelation.<wicked evil grin>
> Norfolk Island is in the South Pacific. It's a wee dot on the map, about due
> east of Brisbane, Australia, and North West of NZ. It's a bit of a tourist
> destination, so why not zip into your local travel agent and ask them for some
> brochures. Any publicity material will show pictures of these beauties in their
> full 200 foot splendour.
>
> The city where I live has a quite famous row of these, along the coastal strip
> of the city. Well while you're in the TA ask them about Napier NZ, you should
> get more pictures of this tree.
> If you ever (and I realise this is mega unlikely) see a sports event (cricket,
> footy) televised from McLean Park, Napier. You can see these trees and the sea
> in the background.
>
> It is a conifer, check it out here. This site shows some with reference to their
> house plant usage, and others describing the tree.
> http://pathfinder.com/vg/TimeLife/CG/Books/E14/Html/E14002X.html
>
> It's also a good Bonzai subject.
>
> RosePetal
-- Thanks! That fern description threw me. !!!
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
dd
> -- Is it really a fern? What characteristics makes it a fern?
> Spores, etc???
> ==Pisces
> m...@panix.com
Gosh, no Marion! The Norfolk Island Pine, Araucaria heterophylla, is very
much a conifer! It even produces cones. In fact, it's close relative, the
Bunya-Bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii) is reputed to produce one of the
largest cones (perhaps even the single largest) of any conifer. Araucarias
are members of an extremely ancient family of conifers, the Araucariaceae,
which existed during the days of the Dinosaurs.
I've posted several Araucaria informational pages on my website, for those
of you who want to learn more about these trees (none on the Norfolk
Island Pine, I'm afraid . . . only on its brothers and sisters in the
genus Araucaria):
http://www.gondwana.org/Pages/Plant%20Database/AraAng.html {Parana Pine)
http://www.gondwana.org/Pages/Plant%20Database/AraAra.html (Monkey Puzzle Tree)
http://www.gondwana.org/Pages/Plant%20Database/AraBid.html (Bunya-Bunya Tree)
http://www.gondwana.org/Pages/Plant%20Database/AraCun.html (Hoop Pine)
Photos are not yet up for these trees I'm afraid . . . sorry.
RosePetal
Terri
>
> "D Kat" <dk...@psych1.psy.sunysb.edu> wrote:
>
> > Isn't Norfolk pine a fern? We are talking the houseplant that has spike
> > rust colored trunk aren't we?
>
> Australia.
Which is why I can't grow it here. The humidity is just too low in the
house
during the winter, below 20% in the winter, and that includes a
humidifer
running inside. And way too cold to leave it outside!
What I need is a green house!
:)
Terri
Toni
considered pest trees. They are very brittle, and the least wind can
cause whole top sections to break right off.
Marion Margoshes
-- This reinforces the need to include your zone with your post.
==Pisces
m...@panix.com
Marion Margoshes
-- I have had mine for 10 years ,in zone 6). I keep it potted, indoors,
and don't even put it out in the summer. I don't want any bug
infestation. It has done very well - a beautiful plant!
==Pisces
m...@panix.com