Araucaria araucana, also known as the ‘Monkey Puzzle Tree’, is a large, stately, evergreen tree that is a common sight in large gardens and parks in the UK.
Fully hardy in the UK, ‘Monkey Puzzle’ is an endangered tree, native to Chile and Argentina, producing whorled branches that are covered in short, pointed, triangular, dark-green leaves. These evergreen leaves are leathery and overlapping and will last for up to 15 years.
Expect your tree to take up to 50 years to reach full height with a mature height and spread of approximately 25 x 10m. It is usually dioecious which means that the male and female cones grow on separate trees however it is possible for trees to bear cones of both sexes, usually appearing in the summer.
In addition to its distinctive foliage and fleeting cones, Araucaria araucana is also a very low-maintenance plant. It prefers moist, well-drained soil and full sun or partial shade. It is also tolerant of a wide range of temperatures, making it fully hardy in the UK, and is highly resistant to pests.
Details
- An Araucaria araucana ‘Monkey Puzzle Tree’Â in a 3-litre pot
- Foliage: Evergreen
- Foliage colour: Green
- Sunlight: Full sun, Partial shade
- Aspect: East-facing, West-facing, South-facing
- Soil drainage: Well drained
- Soil pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
- Hardiness: Fully hardy
- Flowering period: July, August
- Plant height (10 years): 6m
- Plant height (mature): up to 25m
- Plant spread (10 years): 3m
- Plant spread (mature) up to 10m
- Measurements are approximate