Monkey puzzle tree is getting more popular every day

Each of us has his own idea how a perfect garden should look like. That goes mainly for plants and trees. Some people prefer smaller trees and a cosy look, while others prefer more modern appearance and something that is more “in”. If you want to have something special in your garden bet on a monkey puzzle tree.

Rather unconventional, but adaptable

Araucaria araucana is a very old spices indeed. It basically remained unchanged since the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and that means it survived without major changes for over 150 million years and it is one of the oldest trees living on our planet. This is a good reason to be interested in this very special tree. It is one of the symbols of the state of Chile and it grows strong and tall. It can reach 70 meters in the wild, but you can easily grow it at home as a decorative tree or as a solitary tree. It only needs a special care when it is young.

A self-growing tree

A fully grown tree, several years old, can pretty much take care of itself. It can handle freezing temperatures (-20°C so is not a problem), and it can also handle sudden weather changes. No problem. It grows really slowly and carefully increases its size. Thanks to slow growth rate, it appears almost the same for many years. It hardly requires any pruning.

Photo: Pixabay

Strong yes, but not bulletproof

It might seem that this tree can survive everything but this is not entirely true. As any tree it needs to live in certain conditions to continue undisturbed growth. For example, the monkey puzzle tree will not do very well in a shade and where cold wind blows constantly. Soil with plenty of groundwater and frequent flooding and excessive air humidity are not good either. However, very dry subsoil may be harmful too. Soil with an adequate acidity, preferably with a mixture of sand, is ideal. Sounds like alchemy, doesn’t it?However, with proper care, a very long life is guaranteed. An incredible 853 annual rings were counted on the oldest known tree!

Photo: Pixabay

Exotic-looking leaves

The first thing you notice on a monkey puzzle tree are its ovate leaves. Branches are literally covered with leaves all around and they really stand out. Leaves actually cover the trunk too and remain on the tree all year round. It is hard not to notice this amazing tree.

Source: floranazahrade.cz, author’s own experiences

Preview photo: Pixabay