Monkey Puzzle Tree

Some Facts

The name Monkey Puzzle was used in 1850 by a landowner in England who remarked on his cultivated tree - "it would even puzzle a monkey to climb that tree".

Species like this were alive more than 100 million years ago and shared their habitat with dinosaurs.

They grow on the slopes of volcanoes and their bark is adapted to withstand fire.

They have separate male and female trees which look alike until they produce cones.

The seeds, known in Chile as 'pinones', form an important part of the Mepuche-Pehuenche People's diet.

Linda Clark 2017

For more information:   Kew Science 

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