Great Plant Pick: Araucaria araucana, monkey puzzle tree

The monkey puzzle tree is native to South America. It is the national tree of Chile. (Richie Steffen)

The monkey puzzle tree is native to South America. It is the national tree of Chile. (Richie Steffen)

What: Araucaria araucana is a distinctive South American conifer commonly known as a monkey puzzle tree. It has widely spaced branches that extend horizontally from the trunk and then arch upwards toward the tips. The unique, evergreen leaves — triangular in shape and with sharp-pointed tips — are arranged radially around each branch. This tree will definitely make a statement in the garden.

The origin of the name “monkey puzzle” derives from a remark made in Britain in about 1850, when the species was still very rare in gardens. A baronet was showing his tree to a group of friends when one of them, a noted barrister said, “It would puzzle a monkey to climb that.” As the species had no existing common name, first “monkey puzzler,” then “monkey puzzle” stuck.

Size: The pyramidal conifer grows to be 80 feet tall and 30 feet wide when mature.

Where: Monkey puzzle trees grow best in full sun and tolerate a wide range of soils, including clay and sandy types as long as the drainage is very good.

Water: In the Pacific Northwest, the tree is drought tolerant once established, although occasional watering during dry periods will encourage the it to grow a bit faster than it might otherwise.

— Richie Steffen, Great Plant Picks

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