Join the RHS

Find a plant – quick search

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

We have combined these two powerful search tools into a single Find a Plant service searching over 250,000 plant records.

Virtually all of the features of the old searches are still available and in addition we have added several new features to create a more comprehensive and user friendly search experience.

When using this search

  • If you enter just a plant name, you will see results from the old RHS Plant Finder and Selector databases
  • If you select any attributes with or without a plant name, you will see a much narrower selection of results taken only from the old RHS Plant Selector database. These plants will have a lot more details displayed including an image.
  • Our Botanical team are working hard to increase the number of plants with detailed information.

Search by plant name, key attributes or both to find plant details and a list of suppliers.

 
  • AGM plants

    AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

    • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
    • Available to buy
    • Of good constitution
    • Essentially stable in form & colour
    • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
Need more criteria? Try an advanced search
Back to search results

Araucaria araucana

monkey puzzle

© RHS
Sold by 52 nurseries

  • Other common names monkey puzzle
    money puzzle tree

    Chile pine

    see more

  • Family Araucariaceae

  • Genus Araucaria are evergreen trees from the Southern Hemisphere, with whorled branches bearing spirally arranged leaves that may be needle-like, triangular or scale-like, and small male, and large female cones, usually on separate trees

  • Details A. araucana is a stately evergreen tree with branches clothed in sharply pointed, triangular dark green leaves. Mature plants may bear cones on the upper branches, male and female usually on separate trees

  • Plant range Chile Argentina

Characteristics

  • Foliage Evergreen

  • Habit Bushy

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H7

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect South-facing or West-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained

  • SoilLoam, Chalk, Sand

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height Higher than 12 metres

  • Ultimate spread wider than 8 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 20-50 years / more than 50 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in an open site with shelter from cold, drying winds

Propagation Propagate by seed sown in seedbed as soon as ripe; take cuttings of vertical shoot tips in midsummer and root in a cold frame; cuttings of horizontal side branches will not form an upright tree

Suggested planting locations and garden types Architectural

How to care

Pruning Pruning group 1; only young specimens respond well to pruning back into older wood

Pests Generally pest free

Diseases Honey fungus may be a problem

Did you find the information you were looking for?

RHS members can get exclusive individual advice from the RHS Gardening Advice team.

Join the RHS now

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.