Is this a big monkey puzzle tree? I saw this pic online, and figured it was a MP.
yes, it most likely is aruacaria araucana (not the unrelated conifer cunninghamia lanceolata which is apparently also called "monkey puzzle" in some parts--because of it's somewhat similar appearance).
It seems to be bigger than I had figured it may be.
In their native habitat, they can get well over 100' tall.
Yes, that one's a baby, not a 'big' monkey puzzle by any means. They are forest-sized trees. They grow pretty tall over here.
Shortly after the photo was taken it attacked the women.
Bwa ha ha ha!
Haven't encountered confusion between this and China fir but people do seem to want to call A. bidwillii "monkey puzzle". The one that looks like Cunninghamia lanceolata is A. angustifolia.
the "monkey puzzle" for cunninghamia name mix-up appears to be an OCCASIONAL south eastern thing where there are a fair amount of spiny looking "china firs" (a not particularly appropriate name since it is not a fir tree at all and for that matter china has a number of "true" firs/abies that might rightfully claim that moniker) and very few (also) spiny looking monkey puzzles(no monkeys in its native chilean habitat to be puzzled by it, LOL) so people sometimes get confused. agree that the cunninghamia looks more like a. angustifolia but "monkey puzzle' has been used every once in a while by some non-technical oriented folks (right, wrong, or indifferent) as a kind of generic name for several araucarias.
When I lived in coastal S. Carolina, there were five occasions when I was asked to look at a property owner's "Monkey Puzzle" tree. Though I tried to save myself the trip each time, each was certain that they owned a cluster of MP trees and none had even heard of Cunninghamia.
One of the five really did have an Araucaria aucana...the first I'd ever seen.
thanks much rhizo for sharing your experiences supporting my thoughts about periodic mix-ups in distinguishing "who's what" between araucarias and cunninghamias--it really does happen!!!!!
I had been thinking in terms of width, not height, as far as the posted picture goes. It reminds me of the Norfolk island pine. And with good reason, I soon found out, they are related.
It's not wide, either, as far as it goes - you're talking about a tree that is known as a planted specimen over 60 ft. tall in areas where it does well. An example 60+ ft. tall that had an average crown spread merely one third its height would still be more than 20 ft. across.
This specimen is in a garden in Scotland. It's rather short and fat for a Monkey puzzle and clothed lower down the trunk than normal.
Here is a link that might be useful: Monkey puzzle
Maybe it's a Trifid!
There are a lot of older Monkey Puzzle trees here in western Washington state. Back in the days when sailing ships sailed around the horn they would stop in the port of Santiago, Chile for supplies.
Monkey Puzzle seeds are a common table item there. The seeds were brought here and planted around our many seaports.
To me, they look out of place no matter where they are, even in the Araucaria araucana forests of Chile.
That said, I have one planted near a Gunnera, also from Chile.
The sap is white.