Monkey puzzle tree

Sun

Full sun; tolerates light shade when young.

Water

Moderate; keep young trees evenly moist and water established trees during prolonged drought. Avoid waterlogged ground.

Soil

Deep, well-drained soil that retains some moisture; tolerates clay, loam and sand if drainage is good. Slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal.

Height

50-80 ft (15-24 m) in gardens; potentially taller with age

Spread

20-35 ft (6-11 m)

Foliage

Evergreen. Dark green, broad triangular leaves overlap tightly around the branches. Each leaf is leathery, long-lived and sharply pointed.

Growth

Slow when young, becoming moderate once established.

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   8 ft (2.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   10 ft (3 m)

3. After 2 years

   12 ft (3.7 m)

4. After 3 years

   14 ft (4.3 m)

5. After 5 years

   19 ft (5.6 m)

About 26 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant while young in its permanent position; established trees are difficult to move.
• Water deeply during dry spells for the first two or three growing seasons.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Do not feed routinely; use a modest slow-release fertilizer in spring only if growth is weak and a soil test indicates a deficiency.
• Stake only if the root ball rocks in wind, and remove supports once the tree is firmly rooted.

Pruning. Little pruning is needed. Remove dead or damaged branches in late winter or early spring, using an arborist for large limbs; never top the tree or shorten its central leader.

Spring

Plant young trees after severe frost has passed, allowing space for their eventual crown and roots.

Late spring

Refresh mulch and check that ties are not rubbing or constricting the trunk.

Summer

Water young trees deeply during dry weather; check moisture below the surface before watering again.

Autumn

Check drainage before wet weather and remove fallen sharp branches or cone debris from nearby access areas.

Winter

Check young trees after storms for loosened roots or damaged stakes; keep de-icing salt away from the root zone.

• Use as a solitary specimen in a large lawn, where its symmetrical young crown can be seen clearly.
• Place among low grasses and groundcovers to emphasize its unusual branch structure without crowding it.
• Use in a spacious Victorian or estate garden as a long-lived focal point.
• Frame distant views with it in a large architectural planting, well away from seating and circulation routes.

Garden styles it suits: Architectural minimal, Victorian, Grand estate, Winter interest and Pacific Northwest woodland.

Plant it with: Japanese forest grass, Bergenia, Hardy cyclamen, Epimedium and Soft shield fern.

Wildlife: Large seeds provide food for birds and mammals. Mature crowns can provide shelter and nesting sites, although its ecological value outside its native range varies.

• Root rot in waterlogged soil: choose a freely draining site and avoid excessive irrigation; seek an arborist's assessment if the crown declines.
• Browning after drought or hot, drying winds: water deeply during extended dry spells and maintain mulch over the root area.
• Scale insects: inspect for fixed bumps and sticky honeydew; treat accessible young trees with a horticultural oil labelled for the pest and plant.
• Winter scorch on exposed young trees: shelter from cold, drying winds and keep the soil moist, but not saturated, before freezing weather.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. The seeds are edible, but the sharp leaves can cause puncture injuries, and large falling cones can seriously injure people or animals; keep play and seating areas away from mature female trees.

• Bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii)

  Has narrower, flatter leaves that spread away from the shoots rather than forming the monkey puzzle's dense covering of broad, overlapping triangular scales.

• Paraná pine (Araucaria angustifolia)

  Has longer, narrower, lance-shaped leaves and develops a broad, umbrella-like crown with age.

• Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla)

  Has much finer, softer-looking foliage and more delicate, feathery branchlets; it is also much less cold-hardy.

Araucaria and araucana refer to Arauco in Chile, while the common name recalls a nineteenth-century remark that climbing its prickly branches would puzzle a monkey.

Propagation. Sow fresh seeds promptly in deep pots of freely draining compost and protect them from rodents. Seeds lose viability if allowed to dry out. Trees are usually male or female, so seed production generally requires a mature tree of each sex within pollinating distance.

Accepted botanical name

Araucaria araucana

Native range

Argentina South, Chile Central and Chile South.

Measured

Average height 3000 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.