The Monkey Puzzle Tree has been a focus of interest for decades now, and almost everyone can remember seeing one, but always in someone else's garden. The proper name for the Monkey Puzzle tree is the Araucaria imbricate, and it is an evergreen tree often planted as an isolated specimen on lawns or other open spaces. There are also several species for the conservatory or the green¬house. Many of them assume, in their native habitat, the dimensions of large trees, but all are slow growing and in the young stages make extremely handsome pot plants.
The cultivation of the monkey puzzle differs according to type. The greenhouse araucarias re¬quire cool treatment. During the summer months they must be afforded an abundance of light and air, while a winter temperature of 40 degrees is amply sufficient. Two parts good fibrous loam, one part of leaf-mould, and a little sharp sand form asuitable com¬post is what is required. Repotting, when necessary, should be done in March, but it is well to avoid over-potting. When growing freely the plants re¬quire a good supply of water, but very little will suffice for the first week or two after potting.
On the other hand Araucaria imbricata thrives best in the milder and moister parts of the country, such as Devon and Cornwall and the West of Scotland, also in the South of Ireland. In cold districts it is liable to get somewhat damaged during the winter and become brown and disfigured in parts. It does best in a deep rich loamy soil, but it is not a good tree for planting in towns, as it dislikes smoke and grime. Planting is best done in September, April, or early May.
Araucaria imbricata can be pro¬pagated by means of seeds, but in this con¬nection it should be noted that the female cones take two seasons to develop, and then ripen their seeds towards the end of the summer. These should be sown in a warm greenhouse in February or March in light soil, the seeds being covered one inch deep.
Seed sown in pans or boxes in a cool green¬house offers a satisfactory method of in¬creasing the greenhouse species, but germina¬tion is slow. An alternative is to take cut¬tings of the leading shoots and insert in sandy loam during the autumn months. In a genial temperature they will form roots by the following spring.
Perhaps not so simple to get started but the Monkey Puzzle tree is so spectacular that whilst its possible you may not see it in its full glory, your children and grandchildren will be able to point it out and say you planted it, perhaps 75 years from now.
The cultivation of the monkey puzzle differs according to type. The greenhouse araucarias re¬quire cool treatment. During the summer months they must be afforded an abundance of light and air, while a winter temperature of 40 degrees is amply sufficient. Two parts good fibrous loam, one part of leaf-mould, and a little sharp sand form asuitable com¬post is what is required. Repotting, when necessary, should be done in March, but it is well to avoid over-potting. When growing freely the plants re¬quire a good supply of water, but very little will suffice for the first week or two after potting.
On the other hand Araucaria imbricata thrives best in the milder and moister parts of the country, such as Devon and Cornwall and the West of Scotland, also in the South of Ireland. In cold districts it is liable to get somewhat damaged during the winter and become brown and disfigured in parts. It does best in a deep rich loamy soil, but it is not a good tree for planting in towns, as it dislikes smoke and grime. Planting is best done in September, April, or early May.
Araucaria imbricata can be pro¬pagated by means of seeds, but in this con¬nection it should be noted that the female cones take two seasons to develop, and then ripen their seeds towards the end of the summer. These should be sown in a warm greenhouse in February or March in light soil, the seeds being covered one inch deep.
Seed sown in pans or boxes in a cool green¬house offers a satisfactory method of in¬creasing the greenhouse species, but germina¬tion is slow. An alternative is to take cut¬tings of the leading shoots and insert in sandy loam during the autumn months. In a genial temperature they will form roots by the following spring.
Perhaps not so simple to get started but the Monkey Puzzle tree is so spectacular that whilst its possible you may not see it in its full glory, your children and grandchildren will be able to point it out and say you planted it, perhaps 75 years from now.