I almost missed the tree in the pouring rain ( the picture does not show the rain!) but the strange branches caught my eye and then the board with the name. Monkey Puzzle Tree???? I had to take a picture. Wish I had taken a better one, but I was worried the camera would be drenched.
A native of Argentina and Chile the tree is found everywhere in the world! I read there is one in the Ooty Botanical Gardens. The tree is supposed to grow up to 70-100 ft and the shape resembles that of a Christmas tree. The name ( attributed) is thought to have originated in Europe in 1800s when someone is supposed to have remarked that the tree branches would have even puzzled a monkey - it would have to figure out how to climb it! And the name stuck.
The leaves are dark green, and stiff like needles.Botanical name - Araucaria araucana
Picture taken at Benmore Gardens, Scotland.
This is not just a monkey puzzling tree but also human puzzling with its twists and curls! Thanks for dropping by today. When I think of trees, I think of you. But I notice you have been posting a lot of awesome looking flowers lately.
ReplyDeleteJust back from a holiday in the UK and have loads of pictures of beautiful flowers and trees. There are more to come!
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