Native Plants

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Sunday - March 17, 2013

From: Santa Paula, CA
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Trees
Title: Supplier for non-native Norfolk Pine to East Texas
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

I would like to buy a Norfolk Pine Tree for my uncle who lives 90 miles east of Dallas, Texas. He saw my Norfolk Pine tree in CA which is 30 to 40 ft. tall. Where can I find a company that will ship a tree to Texas?

ANSWER:

Auracaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine) is endemic (meaning it only grows naturally in), well, Norfolk Island, a small Pacific island between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. Before you make any decisions, we suggest you read this article from Purdue University Yard and Garden Norfolk Island Pine Needs TLC. Notice paticularly this paragraph:

"What is most challenging for the typical home gardener is giving this plant the high relative humidity it needs. Norfolk Island pine thrives at 50 percent relative humidity, yet it is not unusual for the average house to drop to 15 percent during the winter heating season, unless steps are taken to increase moisture in the air. Running a humidifier will increase the comfort of people and plant and is the most effective way to adequately raise the humidity."

Since you live in Santa Clara County, near the Pacific Coast in Central California, you probably have enough humidity from the ocean to support this plant. In Texas, even East Texas, 50% humidity is rare. Furthermore, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants, never recommends plants unless they are native not only to North America but to the area in which those plants are native, which doesn't even include California.