I'd put it on Craig's List.

I'd suggest look up your local FreeCycle & post there. Also you might try calling any local Botanic Garden to offer it to them.

Good idea about the Botanical Garden. Thanks, Karen.

Could you give it to the new owners? It looks like it belongs where it is and it is big enough to be consider part of the house.

Glad you liked it, here' s another: try calling a local nursery or garden center & see what they might suggest.

I entirely agree. The realtors are insistent that the tree cannot stay and will only hurt the sale of the house since he takes up half the space of the entry room. Personally I think it's wonderful, and the realtors aren't appreciating the his uniqueness!! Buyers may actually like it. But it seems there's not much room for uniqueness in the current realty market. That said, your comment was my first comment and it's not being accepted by all parties except for me.

Karen, on your suggestion, I googled and came across the Botanical Gardens at Smith College. They have a Conservatory buildings. I have asked them what they think. I'll see if they get back to me. And the local nursery is the next step. Thank you. You have been very helpful.

Realtors always hate unique flora. You did a great job with it. Do you have a door big enough to get it out?

tj

Reaaltors, mortgage brokers, watch yourself. Between red lines, commissions and the great recession....man, some ruin it for all, but I might be happier if a daughter of mine went into exotic dancing or an even older profession as opposed to house selling.

Far as the tree goes, large companiesown businesses with large spaces. While the companies themselves may or may not be interested they frequantle pay 3rd parties for their interior landscaping. The florists and designer types at one of those contract companies may LOVE your tree. Its very attractive but does need a big space as you know.

To tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱ You mention the biggest question I have...how do we get him out without hurting him, and Norfolk Pines are notoriously known for being fragile. No doubt, he will suffer some damage, but if wrapped properly, I think we can do it through the deck doors...maybe. But you are absolutely right. I may have to "split" him ultimately....i.e. parts being greater than the whole. But the whole is SO gorgeous!

Holy crap! I had no idea a Norfolk pine could grow so large! How old is it?

BTW: Have you any friends or neighbors who would like to have it? It’s really quite impressive.

To Embothrium and Toronado, Yes, I am learning fast that there is a "code" among realtors to depersonalize and tamp down any uniqueness which may jeopardize a sale, which says a lot about buyers these days as well. The decluttering I am all in favor of, and should have been doing more of it for myself all these years, but my beloved tree does not qualify as clutter...in my mind at least!!

Tornado, I am contacting interior landscapers today in the area, with fingers crossed that they may have some ideas.

Karen, I heard back from Smith College Lyman Conservatories early this morning and they are sending out an alert to all their volunteers for suggestions. Amazing!

Thank you all for your help. All suggestions have been so appreciated.

Some retail malls have large, sky-lite areas. Might donate to one of those.....

That will be a very pretty area without that big, dark tree there! You've done an incredible job growing it to this size inside your home, but it does seem to suck the great light out of the room.

Hi SP,

Am glad you'r getting SOME responses, I respect your having grown this & the attachment you feel after so many yrs., certainly I can understand you wanting to find it a good home. I admire the efforts you're making to re-situate it.

I'll keep my thinking cap on for more ideas ;>).

PS: The Smith Conservatory volunteers: Make sure they have the pix to share in their alerts (if you haven't sent the pix already).

For additional ideas, maybe search for Landscapers in your area?

Sammy, Norfolk Island Pine (which isn't a true pine) is a forest tree in its natural habitat and climates where it can be grown outdoors, not a house plant.

Many of the tropical and subtropical plants that people grow in their homes are TREES and not "houseplants", Ficus for example.

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

Karen, yes, Smith College Conservatories have the photos, but haven't heard a word back from volunteers.

Exploring interior landscapers now, but time is running out.

Rhizo_1 --- yes, you expressed the sentiment of the realtors....and the reality I am slowly coming to terms with, as we get close to putting the house on the market. If the tree was not there, it opens up a lovely space for buyers to contemplate how they would use the room. I just wish they could use their imagination for a bit longer to give me time to find the tree a home!

Grace (Sugi_C) Thank you. I know...he is a beauty. Feel like a proud mama.

I have a friend who used to work at a local arboretum. Greenhouses get offered a lot of plants that have outgrown their indoor spaces elsewhere. However, greenhouse space is expensive - remember it involves winter heating - and most places already have plans for what they are going to do with that space. An office atrium, or a private home are probably your best bets, but they are admittedly long shots.

I do wonder at what point moving the tree outside, to a shaded, sheltered location, would be a reasonable act. That would theoretically put off the need for finding a new home for several months.

Mad_gallica, I think your idea is exactly what I will be doing. Thankfully it is almost spring here, despite the snow, so at least the tree will be able to live outside for a bit. Being able to communicate with others who love plants has helped tremendously. My next step is figuring out how to get him outside. Ultimately that will be the hardest part. I am considering cutting the root ball and separating the trunks. At the very least I can hopefully keep some of him. Thanks for your suggestion, a good one.

I am considering cutting the root ball and separating the trunks

==>>> probably kill it .... google the latin name and add the word propagation.. and see if you can root some small pieces ...

ken

The botanical name for this tree is Araucaria heterophylla. So it's not a he, it's a she!

ken_adrian, thank you. yes, you are right. My husband and I have been researching and it seems the best way is to cut off the terminal leader at the top of the tree. Actually there are two leaders, so we will cut both and then, fingers crossed, follow all the instructions of putting them into peat moss or coarse sand, and hope for the best. So if he doesn't survive the house removal process, I will still have "some on him" to come with me to our new home....where I will have to discipline his growth this time. Maybe a bonsai??!!

Sara Malone -- from now on, he will be a she, as long as she doesn't mind me continuing to call her by her name all these years - "Big Bruiser"!

"The botanical name for this tree is Araucaria heterophylla. So it's not a he, it's a she!"

The botanical name has nothing to do with its gender.

Araucaria are supposed to be largely dioecious (separate male and female trees), so it may be either male OR female, but it gets more complicated as apparently...., some can switch gender.

That was a joke....