Branches covered with sharp spikes — spikes that, people once thought, no monkey could ever climb through — make this evergreen conifer (Araucaria araucana) a striking standalone in the middle of a lawn, or a container plant beside a terrace. It only needs soil that drains freely, and then it takes winter cold down to 10°F.
| Name | Araucaria araucana |
|---|---|
| Family | Araucariaceae |
| Type | conifer |
| Exposure | full sun or part shade |
| Soil | well draining, ordinary |
| Height | 30 to 45 feet (10 to 15 meters) |
| Flowering | spring |
| Foliage | evergreen |
| Growth | slow |
The monkey puzzle tree is best planted around fall to give it the whole winter season to spread roots out, guaranteeing better health in spring.
Important: Araucaria araucana tolerates all types of soil, be they chalky or acidic, but it does require soil that is well drained where water won’t stay put.
Araucaria araucana is hardy to 10°F (-12°C), so it resists freezing and cold weather in winter. Araucaria araucana or monkey puzzle tree growth is relatively slow, even though when mature, it reaches heights of 30 to 45 feet (10 to 15 meters).
It is perfectly possible to grow a monkey puzzle tree in a pot or container.
Care is straightforward for Araucaria araucana, especially once it’s properly settled in.
Pruning isn’t actually recommended, especially since much of the appeal of araucaria araucana is its distinctive bearing, sometimes spiking up in a column, sometimes spreading to the sides. If you do need to prune it back, do so at the beginning of summer and avoid cutting back all the way to the trunk. It’s better to prune lightly than to cut it back too much. Note that lower branches will fall to the ground as the tree grows, this is perfectly normal.
Though watering during the first year after planting is indeed recommended for the monkey puzzle tree, from the second year onwards it should be happy with whatever rain falls from the sky. However, in case a long-lasting drought sets in, it’s important to water.
When growing in a container or pot, water when the surface of the soil is dry, but without overdoing it. In a pot or garden box, give the plant conifer tree fertilizer in spring.
In winter, no need to water.
Araucaria araucana asks for very little once settled, but the few tasks it does need each fall at a particular moment of the year. Here is what to do and when.
| Task | Best timing | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Planting | Fall | Roots spread all winter for better health in spring |
| Watering, year one | Throughout the first year | Water regularly after planting |
| Watering, from year two | Only in long droughts | Rainfall is normally enough; none needed in winter |
| Pruning | Beginning of summer, only if needed | Prune lightly, never back to the trunk |
| Feeding potted trees | Spring | Apply conifer tree fertilizer |
Apart from these few moments, the tree is best left to build its own shape.
Propagation is typically done through seed. Pick cones from underneath specimens you find particularly elegant and symmetrical.
Best is if it comes from a similar to your own environment: climate, temperatures, rainfall. It will have passed on some of its “knowledge” to its children. Thanks to this, it will be more adapted to growing in your own garden! Epigenetics is the botanical term for this phenomenon.
A conifer that is very symbolic in Chile, the country where it is native to, Araucaria araucana is nicknamed the Monkey Puzzle Tree ever since it appeared in England in the middle of the 19th century.
Indeed, people at first thought that monkeys would never be able to climb up its branches since they’re covered with spikes… a puzzle for them to solve! Today, it’s a beautiful ornamental tree, occasionally spotted as a standalone in the center of a lawn, or in containers to the side of a deck or terrace.
This conifer produces edible pine nuts. Some cultures, like the Mapuche, include these pine nuts in their daily diet, because they’re both tasty and healthy!
