MONKEY PUZZLE TREE

By Wanda  DeGroft

The Monkey Puzzle tree is actually known in the nursery trade as Araucaria araucana. When first seen,   it appears quite odd, definitely bizarre and even prehistoric. Because of it’s unusual appearance many people desire it as an ornamental specimen for their gardens. Believe it or not, it can even be grown indoors!

 Actually the Monkey Puzzle tree is a conifer with needle-pointed leaves spirally arranged on very stiff branches. They form a prickly formation that prevents animals from climbing the tree. They also have cones. The female trees ‘cones can be quite heavy weighing several pounds.  This is not a tree to sit or even stand under for this very reason. This tree should used in the background of a garden to be admired without close access for your quests.

The Monkey Puzzle tree has a pyramidal shape when young .As it ages, it develops into a more irregular shape with a flattened crown. It can reach up to 100 feet tall with trunks 4 feet in diameter. As it ages the bark becomes thicker and appears to be formed of interlocking puzzle pieces.

The common name of Monkey Puzzle tree is the result of a comment made by an Englishman in the 1800’s. After seeing the tree, he said “It would be a puzzle for a monkey attempting to climb such a tree.” The name stuck even though there were no monkeys living in the natural habitat of this species which is in southern Chili.

Monkey Puzzle trees can grow in New Jersey as well as California. They grow in full sun for zones 4-9 which include our valley floor. There is one at Bidwell Mansion in Chico which is huge. They can also live year round indoors, and grown for their unique appearance as houseplants.

 My daughter gave me one of these wonderful trees for Mother’s Day along with four seeds. I planted the four seeds and they have all sprouted and living happily indoors along with the larger plant. She knew how very fond I was of the Monkey Puzzle tree and she couldn’t have given me a better gift.

If you want to grow this unusual tree,  you will be guaranteed to receive many comments from all your friends.

The Red Bluff Garden Club is affiliated with the Cascade District Garden Clubs; California Garden Clubs, Inc; Pacific Region Garden Clubs; and National Garden Clubs, Inc.

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What Red Bluff Garden Club Does

A group of youth gardeners join our fun and learn how to grow things, which bugs are good and which are not, some nature conservation and floral design.

A flower show has been given every year for the past 45 years.  Some years it is small and sometimes large.

We try and do what we can to support our community and our schools.

We would love to have you join us and add to our fun. Just show up at a meeting or you can call one of us at 530.529-5122 or email us at:SKESSEY1@GO.COM

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National Garden Clubs, Inc

Pacific Region
California Garden Clubs, Inc

Cascade District

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Friends are like flowers
That brighten your day
With fragrance and beauty
To share on life's way.

So treat them like flowers
From the Gardener above,
Weed them with mercy
And water with love
                          Author Unknown

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