Monkey Puzzle

An amazing but slow-growing large tree from southern Chile. Familiar in the UK as a decorative tree in country house parks and suburban front gardens, these are ancient conifer trees, very similar to their fossil ancestors from the time of the dinosaurs. Historically a staple food for the Mapuche people, as mature female trees produce large quantities of large, nutrient-rich nuts. However now an endangered species in its homeland due to forest clearance. Potentially one of the highest-yielding nut trees in the UK, but trees are slow growing and separate male and female trees are needed to produce fruit. Unfortunately it is not currently possible to tell the sex of a sapling until it produces cones.