PlantFiles: Brazilian Monkey Puzzle Tree, Parana Pine, Candelabra Tree
Araucaria angustifolia

I love this tree but mine had a sad ending. I first bought this tree in Seattle and it was about three feet tall. It was doing well for almost a year until I moves to Las Vegas. It survived the move and live for about six months. But when the heat came, it started turing brown. We give it water much like a pine tree but it just kept getting browner. We kept the tree for another year hoping it will come back. It never did.

This is one of the few brazilian pine trees - and one of the most beautiful trees around. From the southern mountains, it´s also one of the few brazilian species that tolerates snow and prefers cold climates instead of tropical ones. Actually, there was a large population in the south (the Araucaria´s Forest) that is almost extinct... luckily, this species is cultivated for it´s seends and beauty in every place where the climate permits it.

The tree has an imponent erect trunk with thickened nodes, reaching up to 30m tall - grows fast until it reaches 10 meters, but starts growing slower from that. The branches (several branches coming from each node) are curved upwards, bearing rows of leathery, dark green, triangular leaves.

The male cones are long and spiny. The female ones are round shaped, with dozens of seeds. These seeds are delicious if prepared in boiling water (although it somewhat though to get rid of the outer shel, but with a knife on hand it shouldn´t be a problem), and they are very apreciated here in winter.

This tree can be planted on fertilized clay soils, with constant moisture. Won´t tolerate heat for long time, and needs some cold (although it´s not adapted for long expositions to snow). It likes full sun.