Distinctive and spiky, the monkey puzzle has been making strong impressions since dinosaurs roamed the earth. These days, jays and squirrels feast on its nuts.
Monkey Puzzle can grow up to 30 meters tall and has a thick, almost cylindrical trunk with smooth, purple-brown bark. The base of a large tree can resemble an elephants foot.
Look out for: the distinctive leathery leaves and the sharply pointed scales of the cones. Identified in winter by: its evergreen features as it keeps its leaves year-round.
With its spiky, tangled branches and prehistoric appearance, the monkey puzzle tree is one of the most distinctive trees in the world. Also known as the Chilean pine or pehuén, this evergreen conifer is native to Chile and Argentina. Let’s take a photo tour of this unique tree and learn why it’s called the “monkey puzzle.”
Interesting Facts About the Monkey Puzzle Tree
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The monkey puzzle tree can live up to 1,000 years. Some existing specimens in Chile are over 500 years old.
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The trees keep their lower branches for life forming a pyramid shape. Mature heights reach 115-180 feet.
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The leaves are thick, rigid and scale-like, resembling reptile skin. They overlap along the twigs.
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The puzzle in its name refers to the tricky challenge for a monkey to climb the spiky, tangled branches.
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It’s the national tree of Chile and appears on the country’s coat of arms.
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Monkey puzzle wood is used in Chile for construction, furniture and tool handles.
Striking Photos of Monkey Puzzle Trees
The twisted, spiked form of the monkey puzzle tree makes for dramatic, eye-catching photographs. Here are some stunning images highlighting the unique features of this tree:
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Close-up shots of the scaly leaves, spiky branches and pinecones capture the intricate, reptilian texture. The fine details are striking.
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Images taken underneath the canopy emphasize the tangled, chaotic branching structure. It forms a criss-crossed web against the sky.
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Photos showcasing the entire pyramid shape showcase how lower branches are retained as the tree ages, unlike most conifers.
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Forest scenes convey the towering, otherworldly presence of rows of monkey puzzle trees. The spiky crowns stand out.
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Silhouettes and backlit images make creative use of the spidery branch patterns. The shapes get highlighted in black.
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Winter snow scenes provide a beautiful contrast between the white drifts and rigid, deep green branches.
Where in the World to See Monkey Puzzle Trees
Monkey puzzle trees grow in temperate rainforests in the Andean foothills of South America. Some prime spots to view or photograph them include:
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Conguillío National Park in Chile, with over 60,000 acres ofold-growth araucaria trees. The forest sets a dramatic backdrop to the Llaima volcano.
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Santa Cruz and Chiloé in Chile, where they grow along with evergreens like tepa and coigüe. The Valdivian temperate rainforests here are a UNESCO site.
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Lanín and Nahuel Huapi National Parks in Argentina, home to ancient pehuén forests with trees over 1000 years old.
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Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, where they thrive in cold, subpolar forests. The northernmost regions have the most extensive stands.
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Cordillera Pelada Nature Reserve in Argentina protects pehuén trees. It has easy public access for viewing.
Cultivated as an Ornamental Around the World
Beyond its native range, the monkey puzzle tree is grown worldwide as an ornamental tree. You can spot this unusual evergreen in:
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Botanical gardens, like the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in England and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York. The dramatic shapes add visual interest.
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Large private estates, parks and gardens, where they’re prized specimen trees. Their size can be restricted with pruning for residential lots.
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Public landscapes, where mature specimens may reach 60 feet or more in height after decades of growth. The spiky canopies provide unique texture.
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Cities like Paris and Zurich, where cultivated monkey puzzle trees thrive as urban specimens. Their unusual profiles stand out on city streets.
Capturing the Enduring Appeal of the Monkey Puzzle
With its historic longevity, distinctive form and strange beauty, the monkey puzzle continues to inspire fascination and photography. Getting creative with angles and perspectives can showcase this tree in all its glory. It’s guaranteed to add some exotic botanical intrigue to any shot.
What does monkey puzzle look like?
Credit: Charistoone Photo / Alamy Stock Photo
Green, spiky, stiff, leathery, glossy and triangular-shaped. They circle the trunk in a spiral shape and are thick and wide at the base. The edges and tips are sharp.
Credit: Krystyna Szylecka / Alamy Stock Photo
Monkey puzzles are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate trees. The male catkins shown here are 10 centimeter-long groups of thin green stamens that turn yellow and then brown by the end of summer. Female catkins are spiny cones.
Credit: Chris Warham / Alamy Stock Photo
Cones are green and gold, with hair-like edges. They grow at the tips of branches. Cones ripen over two or three years and eventually turn brown and release large brown seeds.
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This species has been around for 200 million years, when dinosaurs still roamed the earth. Its spine-like needles acted as protection from ancient grazing animals.
Where to find monkey puzzle
Monkey puzzle is native to central and southern Chile and western Argentina. It was first brought to the UK in 1795. It was very popular in the Victorian and Edwardian eras and is now often grown as a flower in parks and gardens.
It is widely planted for ornamental purposes.
Credit: Dundee Photographics / Alamy Stock Photo
Credit: Studio Beam / Alamy Stock
In its home country of South America, monkey puzzle is home to the slender-billed parakeet and more than 70 species of native insects. In the UK, its seeds are dispersed by jays and squirrels.
The name “monkey puzzle” came about in the middle of the 1800s when famous lawyer Charles Austin saw the tree for the first time and said that even a monkey would have a hard time climbing the tree’s spiny, spiraling branches.
People say that if you talk while passing one, you’ll get bad luck or grow a monkey tail. People in the Fenland used to think that putting a monkey puzzle on the edge of a graveyard would keep the Devil out while a person was being buried. This connection to the Devil goes all over the country. Some people even think the Devil lives in the monkey puzzle tree. It’s possible that worried parents made up the story of the Devil living in the tree to keep their kids from climbing the sharp branches.
Credit: Krystyna Szylecka / Alamy Stock Photo
Into the Picture Podcast: Monkey Puzzle Trees
FAQ
Where is the best place for a monkey puzzle tree?
How big does a monkey puzzle tree get?
How long do monkey puzzle trees last?
Why do they call it a monkey puzzle tree?
What is a monkey puzzle tree?
Monkey puzzle tree is an evergreen conifer that grows in mountainous regions of South America. The unusual appearance of its branches make it a unique option in warmer climates where the tree can survive the winter. Monkey puzzle trees thrive in full sunlight and most types of fast-draining soil, as long as they gets lots of water.
Are Monkey Puzzle trees evergreen?
Yes, Monkey Puzzle trees are **evergreen** .They are native to Chile and Argentina and are known for their distinctive shape, with often horizontal branches covered in spirals of sharp, triangular leaves.When
Why is it called a monkey puzzle?
The origin name Monkey-puzzle derives from its early cultivation in Britain in about 1850. The tree was very popular in Victorian England. Legend has it that an owner of a young tree specimen in Cornwall was showing it to a group of friends, and one made the remark, “it would puzzle a monkey to climb that”.
How hard is a monkey puzzle tree?
The official hardiness range for the monkey puzzle tree is USDA zones 7 to 10, but it is borderline in warmer regions and does not tolerate dry weather. It can survive brief temperatures down to minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit.