Aleppo pines rarely grow straight, according to Bill Burley. They chase the sun, causing them to bend and become weighted which risks fall damage should they come down.
grows too large for its own good to the damage and detriment of the surround- ing ecosystem. “These are a problem,” Burley explained. “They’re not meant to be that big.” According to the NYBG Plant Informa- tion Service , Norfolk Island pines can be planted outside in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 and 11 (the warmest parts of the country), but that doesn’t mean that they should be. Just because an in- door plant grows outside doesn’t mean it has the same hardiness as those that grew from the ground, themselves. “For us as climbers to get up and work on them, they’re a problem because they can’t support us,” Burley shared. Unfortunately, Burley explained that reducing the size doesn’t work well for the tree, so the only management solu- tion becomes removal. Norfolk Island pine is indicative of a systemic issue the industry sees oen: While meant to be an indoor tree, many Norfolk Island pines are planted outside, nearly reaching of 60 feet and causing problems for homeowners and arborists.
light more than most conifers. They very rarely grow straight up.” More established and mature trees tend to grow roots as deep as six to 10 feet. However, with how rapidly the trunk grows, the root system is oen much too shallow by the time it devel- ops a lean. For these trees, it takes only one bad storm or night of high winds for it to become a hazard to surround- ing homes and structures. 6. NORFOLK ISLAND PINE Norfolk Island pines ( Araucaria het- erophylla ) are the goldfish of the tree world. Meant to be an indoor plant, these trees thrive well with the right homeowner and appropriate pot size, growing only 10 feet in size. However, just as when well-meaning pet parents release Goldy into natural waterways, homeowners transfer their Norfolk Island pine tree outside to grow and flourish where they can reach heights of 60 feet.
5 6 can keep pests at bay — which is pre- cisely why ash trees are placed lower than their ornamental neighbors. 5. ALEPPO PINE Aleppo pines (Pinus halepensis) are popular with many homeowners. Na- tive to the Mediterranean region, these trees are adapted to abundant sunlight and extended periods without rain. They grow quickly, reaching over 65 feet in their maturity and offer lots of shade. But what makes them a com- mon choice for backyards can also be their undoing. According to Burley, the Aleppo pine doesn’t just thrive in sunlight — it chas- es sunlight, bending towards an unob- structed area where it can receive the most direct source. Paired with their accelerated growth rate, these pines tend to develop a severe lean and be- come a structural nightmare.
“The problem with the Aleppo pine is they become very weighted,” Burley explained. “They’re chasing the sun-
The result is a non-native species that
12 | Spring 2026 ArborTIMES ™
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online