A Norfolk Island Pine's culture for Zone 7b ...

Is there any way you can make a "Norfolk Island Pine" survive as other healthy plants do when you eventually sink it into the ground? Can you also treat it like a "tropical" and bring it outside in the summer and inside in the winter? What is the best strategy for this plant?

Karin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Karin-I don't think the NIPs will survive the cold here in the winter-but, when I lived in Hawaii, we used to keep one in a pot that we used for a Christmas tree inside,and it seemed to do fine inside. Of course we didn't have heat or even glass windows :), but i think you could treat it as a houseplant in the winter and move it outside for the summer.

Thanks for the info Tigerlily!!!!!!

Karin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I second that.

When we lived in S.Florida,we kept one in a pot.Most of the time spent out doors but inside for the once in 10 year frost.

I have a feeling they are a lot hardier than we think. Not sure I would try it in Charlotte when they do so well in containers, but there are plenty in the ground around here and I have seen some very old ones in the Savannah area.