Monkey Puzzle Tree – Araucaria araucana – Kew Gardens, London

It is found in the wild only in Chile and Argentina, in the Andes. It is one of the oldest trees on the planet – a species that survived from the time of the dinosaurs over 200 million years ago.

The name "Monkey Puzzle" comes from Victorian England – it was said that even a monkey would struggle to climb its sharp, scaly branches. The irony is that there are no monkeys in its natural habitat! 🐒

The tree can live for over 1000 years and reach 40 meters in height. Its cones are enormous – up to 3 kg – and contain edible seeds, a valued food for the indigenous Mapuche people.

The photo shows the young cones – a rare and beautiful sight, captured in Kew Gardens, London.

Price: €15 Delivery: no delivery (digital product) Collections: Trees + Botanical Garden - London (Kew Gardens) SEO title: Monkey Puzzle Araucaria araucana – Digital Photo Kew Gardens SEO description: Original digital photo of Araucaria araucana (Monkey Puzzle) from Kew Gardens, London. Ancient tree survived from ti