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Monkey puzzle or Chile pine

A particularly distinctive tree, always having one straight trunk and horizontal branches covered with viciously spiny leaves.

What other names does it have?

Can also be known as	Chile pine
Generic name	Monkey Puzzle
Latin name	Araucaria araucana
Family name	Chile pine
Latin family name	Araucariaceae

What type of tree is it?

Is it a broadleaf or conifer?	It is a conifer
Does it lose its leaves in autumn?	No, it is evergreen

Species description:

Average height	6-25m

Leaf

Description	The individual leaves overlap completely hiding the stem. They are leathery to the touch and very sharply pointed.
Shape	Needle
Size	4cm by 2cm
Colour	Dark green
Leaf stalk	No stalk

Flower, seed, and fruit

Fruit colour	Green-brown
Type of seed body	Cone
Seeds dispersed by	Wildlife

Bark and twig

Bark description	Dark brown with distinct vertical ridges and horizontal markings

Where is it usually found?

Is it native or non-native to the British Isles?	Non-native - introduced
Where is its natural range?	Chile and Argentina
Preferred soil type or environmental conditions?	Tolerates a wide range of conditions and grows on volcanic soils in it's native habitat
What is its British conservation status?	Occasional

Additional information

Human uses of tree and timber	Planted in parks and gardens for its ornamental and distinctive shape
Tree lore and folklore	This tree is said to have been introduced to Britain by a plant hunter who pocketed some nuts he was given as a desert during a banquet in Chile. He later grew them on his voyage home and donated them to Kew gardens.

BritishTrees

©2012 The Woodland Trust