Araucaria araucana Seeds | Monkey Puzzle Tree
LATIN NAME: Araucaria araucana
COMMON NAME: Monkey Puzzle Tree
Plant Profile
Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana) is a spectacular evergreen conifer of the araucaria family (Araucariaceae), native to the volcanic slopes of Chile and Argentina. It reaches 30-50 m, with whorled branches armoured in stiff, overlapping, razor-edged leaves and large cones full of edible pine nuts. Long-lived and hardy, it is a living fossil of the dinosaur age and the national tree of Chile.
Science & Biotechnology
Botanists studying the Araucaria group regularly include Araucaria araucana in comparative work, and the species also appears in horticultural trials aimed at gardeners and growers. Species is now classified as endangered in wild due to historical logging and altered fire regimes, making it a significant focus of Chilean and Argentine conservation forestry research aimed at protecting remaining old-growth stands. Raising it from seed today is a matter of ordinary good practice rather than specialist skill.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Monkey Puzzle Tree for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. Monkey puzzle tree’s large seeds remain a traditional food source in parts of Chile and Argentina, roasted and eaten much like chestnuts, continuing a culinary tradition with deep Indigenous roots. As an ornamental tree, its dramatic, prehistoric appearance makes it a striking specimen in parks and large gardens worldwide, valued as one of more recognisable and evolutionarily ancient conifers in general cultivation. Beyond the establishment year, its needs are simple and few.
Araucarias give two great foods: the pine-nut-like seeds of the monkey puzzle and the Brazilian pinhao, protein-rich staples of South American peoples, plus some of the most architectural silhouettes in the tree world.
Growing from Seed
Starting Monkey Puzzle Tree from seed is simple and satisfying. Fresh seed is best; sow it into a loose, well-drained mix and keep it consistently moist in a cool to moderate position. Bright light suits young seedling well, and given this species’ naturally slow, long-term growth pattern, patience is essential when raising a tree capable of living for many centuries. Sow thinly on the surface of a loose, well-drained seed compost, cover lightly, water in gently and keep the tray in a sunny spot with even moisture. Shift the seedlings into small pots as soon as they can be handled, and give them bright light until planting-out time.
Our Take
Monkey Puzzle Tree earns its space through character rather than fuss. Its long record of traditional use, described above, gives the plant a story beyond ornament. Give the seed freshness and steady moisture, and nature handles the rest.
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