The Monkey Puzzle Tree, scientifically known as Araucaria araucana, is a distinctive conifer with an ancient lineage. It is recognized for its unusual appearance and long history on Earth. Its peculiar form immediately captures attention, setting it apart from many other trees.
Distinctive Features
The Monkey Puzzle Tree has several notable characteristics. Its leaves are thick, tough, and scale-like, typically triangular, measuring about 3–4 cm long and 1–3 cm broad at the base. These leaves are sharply pointed and have spiky edges, arranged spirally around the trunk and branches. Each leaf can remain on the tree for up to 24 years, covering most of the tree.
The tree’s bark is smooth and purplish-brown, often resembling an elephant’s foot. Young trees exhibit a pyramidal shape, but as they mature, they develop a more open, splaying, and rounded crown, sometimes umbrella-like, as lower limbs shed. The Monkey Puzzle Tree is dioecious, meaning individual trees bear either male or female cones.
Male cones are oblong and cucumber-shaped, initially around 4 cm long, expanding to 8–12 cm long and 5–6 cm broad. Female cones are spherical and spiny, growing to about 10–18 cm long. These female cones disintegrate upon maturity to release their large, edible seeds, known as piñones (1-2 inches long).
Origin and Naming
The Monkey Puzzle Tree is native to the Andes Mountains of central and southern Chile and western Argentina, thriving in volcanic soils at elevations of 1,500 to 1,800 meters. Considered a “living fossil,” its lineage dates back approximately 200 million years to the Jurassic period, coexisting with dinosaurs. Its spiky, tough leaves are thought to have provided a defense against ancient grazing animals.
The common name “Monkey Puzzle Tree” originated in the mid-19th century in Britain. The name came from a remark by barrister Charles Austin, who commented that “it would puzzle a monkey to climb that tree” upon touching a branch. Before this, it was sometimes called Chilean Pine, despite not being a true pine. The scientific name, Araucaria araucana, comes from the Arauco Indians (Mapuche people) of central Chile, whose territory is home to these trees.
Ecological Significance and Uses
The Monkey Puzzle Tree holds ecological and cultural importance in its native range. It provides habitat for wildlife, with branches offering nesting sites and seeds serving as a food source. The tree’s thick, fire-resistant bark allows it to survive in environments prone to volcanic activity and fires, acting as a pioneer species.
For indigenous populations, especially the Mapuche people, the tree (known as “pewen” or “pehuen”) has been central to their culture for thousands of years. The large, nutritious seeds (piñones) are a traditional staple food, eaten boiled, roasted, or raw, or ground into flour for bread or fermented into a beverage called mudai. Historically, its wood was used for timber, including railway sleepers and general carpentry, though its use is now restricted due to its conservation status.
The Monkey Puzzle Tree is currently classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Its population has dwindled due to logging, forest fires, grazing, and habitat fragmentation. Logging was banned in Chile in 1976 and the tree declared a “natural monument,” but illegal felling and other threats persist. Conservation efforts are underway, and the tree is protected under CITES Appendix I, regulating international trade.