Dec 30, 2024 | Hobbies

My Latest Hobby: Cultivating Monkey Puzzle Trees

Tags: ancient trees, Araucaria Araucana, citizen science, conifers, gardening, indigenous culture, Monkey Puzzle Tree, sustainability, tree care, webcam gallery, WordPress plugin

After diving headfirst into a delightful rabbit hole of learning about the ancient Araucaria genus of conifers, I’ve finally done it—I welcomed three Araucaria araucana (Monkey Puzzle) seedlings into my life! They’ve already captivated me with their unique history, resilience, and cultural significance. I’ve named them Wenu, Pewma, and Rangi, and I’m crossing my fingers that they survive the transplant shock as they settle into their new home.

Why Monkey Puzzle Trees?

Monkey Puzzle trees are truly fascinating. They belong to an ancient genus of conifers, Araucaria, which has been around since the time of dinosaurs. While you might recognize the Norfolk Island Pine (a popular indoor holiday plant), the Monkey Puzzle tree stands out as the most cold-hardy and resilient species in the genus—perfect for someone like me dreaming of planting these outdoors someday!

Their incredible qualities don’t stop there. These trees have a deep cultural significance to Indigenous peoples around the world:

  • The Mapuche People of Chile: They call the Monkey Puzzle tree Pehuén and consider it sacred. The Pewenche subgroup even derives their name from the tree. It represents strength, resilience, and harmony with nature.
  • The Kaingáng People of Brazil: The Paraná Pine (Araucaria angustifolia) is central to their way of life, much like the Monkey Puzzle tree for the Mapuche.
  • Aboriginal Australians: The Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii) was a vital food source. Aboriginal families would pass ownership of Bunya trees through generations and celebrate their harvest with communal festivals.
Three potted plants, including a young Monkey Puzzle Tree, flourish under a small grow lamp in a room with white brick walls. A small digital thermometer is on the table next to the pots.
My basement monkey puzzle seedling nursery setup, with a bright grow light on them!

As a cockatoo enthusiast, I love the fun connection that these trees are parrot-safe and edible! Cockatoos even feed on Bunya pine seeds in the wild, making this genus all the more special to me.

Read more about Monkey Puzzle Trees and see my daily snapshot of them here.

The Resilient Yet Slow-Growing Marvel

Monkey Puzzle trees are as slow-growing as they are hardy. They can take 20–40 years to produce cones, and female cones take 2–3 years to mature. Assuming my seedlings aren’t all the same gender (🤞), I may see cones in my lifetime—but patience is key!

Interestingly, these trees have been cultivated successfully in Britain since 1795. In fact, the oldest known Monkey Puzzle tree in Scotland was planted in 1825, while the oldest wild specimen in Chile is estimated to be over 1,800 years old.

Even more fascinating? According to Plants for a Future, just 18 good-sized Monkey Puzzle trees could produce enough fruit to feed one adult for an entire year. There’s even potential for these trees to become a profitable commercial crop in temperate climates.

My Webcam: An “Old-School” Setup

In true DIY style, I’ve set up a webcam to monitor my little monkey puzzle tree seedlings. It updates once every 70,000 seconds (about once a day) via FTP, thanks to a basic WordPress plugin I created myself using ChatGPT. The plugin scrapes the directory where my REO Link security camera uploads photos. Is it the most exciting webcam feed? Maybe not. But it’s charmingly old-school and lets me keep an eye on Wenu, Pewma, and Rangi as they settle into their new pots. I hope the daily uploads will help others through this slow-motion documentation of monkey puzzle tree growth. I have ordered seeds and will soon have the (hopefully) germinating seeds on camera, too!

Check out my Monkey Puzzle Tree info page seedling webcam

Choosing Names for My Seedlings

Naming the seedlings was another part of this exciting journey. Inspired by the Mapuche culture and their reverence for the Pehuén, I chose:

  • Wenu: Meaning “Sky” in Mapudungun, representing the boundless potential of these trees.
  • Pewma: Meaning “Dream,” a symbol of hope and vision for the future.
  • Rangi: A name meaning “Sky” or “Heaven,” connecting to the universal reverence for nature.

These names are a nod to the sacredness of these trees and their deep connection to the earth and its people.

Why These Trees Matter

Welcoming these Monkey Puzzle seedlings into my life at the end of 2024 feels like planting a little piece of history, resilience, and hope. These trees have not only stood the test of time but also represent harmony and sustainability. They’ve connected me to the stories of indigenous cultures, the wisdom of nature, and my own aspirations for growth.

For now, my job is simple: keep these seedlings alive. I’ll be sharing more updates (and maybe even some photos from my “boring” webcam) as they grow.

If you’re as fascinated by these ancient wonders as I am, here are some interesting resources I came across:

Have You Planted Something Recently?

I’d love to hear about your experiences with growing new plants, naming them, or learning about their history and significance. Let’s chat in the comments!

Stay tuned for more updates on Wenu, Pewma, and Rangi as they grow into their place in my little corner of the world. 🌳✨

Check out some more pics of my monkey puzzle seedlings below. I have them set up in the basement with a grow light on them for now, because my home is under renovation… and the basement stays a cool 68 degrees Fahrenheit, perfect for these trees!

A small green Monkey Puzzle Tree with spiky leaves grows in a black pot filled with soil, set against a white background.
A spiky green plant, reminiscent of Monkey Puzzle Trees, grows vibrantly in a black pot filled with soil, indoors.
Close-up of a young potted plant resembling Monkey Puzzle Trees with spiky green leaves in a black container. The background features a gray brick wall and exposed cables, adding an urban touch to the scene.
A small, spiky green plant resembling the branches of Monkey Puzzle Trees thrives in a black pot filled with soil indoors.
A person in a gray sweater holds a drink and an item near a potted Wenu Monkey Puzzle tree in a black container on a concrete floor.
A potted monkey puzzle tree with bright green leaves adds a touch of nature indoors, embodying the traditional Pewma essence.
A young Wenu monkey puzzle tree sits in a black pot with soil, nestled against a light-colored brick wall.
A young green plant with spiky leaves is growing in a black pot filled with soil, surrounded by other similar pots, including some featuring exotic Monkey Puzzle Trees.
A person carefully waters a young, spiky Monkey Puzzle Tree in a black pot indoors.
Three potted plants, including a young Monkey Puzzle Tree, flourish under a small grow lamp in a room with white brick walls. A small digital thermometer is on the table next to the pots.
My basement monkey puzzle seedling nursery setup, with a bright grow light on them!
Three potted plants, including a Monkey Puzzle Tree, rest under a glowing lamp on a tray against a white brick wall. A digital thermometer is visible in the bottom corner.
Indoor plant setup featuring Monkey Puzzle Trees in four pots on black trays under a lamp, near a white brick wall and shelving.
A young Monkey Puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) in a black pot with dark soil rests gracefully against a white wall, echoing the mystique of Wenu and Pewma.
Two small potted Monkey Puzzle trees sit on a surface against a white brick wall, under a grow light, adding an air of wenu while nurturing their resilience.
A small green plant with spiky leaves, reminiscent of young Monkey Puzzle Trees, grows in a black pot filled with soil, set against a white brick wall.
A small, spiky green Monkey Puzzle Tree grows in a black pot filled with soil, placed indoors near a shelf and a white wall. A power strip hangs in the background.
Three young Monkey Puzzle Trees sit under grow lights on a black tray, with a digital thermometer nearby.
A young spiky plant, reminiscent of Monkey Puzzle Trees, embarks on its growth journey in a black pot filled with soil and white perlite, set against a light gray brick wall background.
A small, spiky plant reminiscent of Monkey Puzzle Trees sits in a black pot filled with soil, set against a plain white wall.
A young, spiky green Monkey Puzzle Tree grows in a pot filled with soil, set against a plain wall background.
Three small Monkey Puzzle Trees in black pots sit under a lamp. A digital thermometer displays the temperature and humidity, monitoring their delicate journey of growth.
A small green Monkey Puzzle Tree with spiky leaves grows in a black pot filled with soil, set against a plain white brick background.
A young monkey puzzle tree seedling with spiky leaves grows in black soil inside a large black pot.
Three small potted plants with needle-like leaves, reminiscent of Monkey Puzzle Trees, sit on a tray. A thermometer is visible nearby, and the background is a white brick wall.

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