While transporting a very large Norfolk Island plant, branches were lost and broken off. Will it survive this kind of damage?
Thank you for contating the Toronto Master Gardeners.
The following information is from one of our previous responses:
“In general as Norfolk Island pines grow upward, the trunk thickens and the branches increase in size. It is usually suggested that the only pruning that needs to be done is to remove the brown tips and dead branches. Cutting of the growing tip will destroy its natural symmetrical shape.
That being said, if you want to control the height of the plant you can cut off the top of the tree ( growing point), just above, where the branches grow out from the trunk. You will be removing the leader of the tree. This will now be the new top of the tree. Don’t worry about the cut, in time it will heal over. Before you make this cut, make sure you are 100% certain how tall you want the tree. You have only one chance since once you make the cut you can’t glue the top back on.
Now that the tip is cut, you need to reshape the entire tree by decreasing the length of all of the branches making sure to keep it’s natural cone shape- shorter branches on top, longer on the bottom. Do this by taking a pair of sharp scissors, or hand pruners, and coming up from the branch’s end, decide how short you want the branch to be, and clip it at the center of that stem.”
This link gives information on the proper care of this beautiful tree.