Araucaria araucana

Monkey Puzzle 

FAMILY: ARAUCARIACEAE

About Monkey Puzzle at OSU's Landscape Plants site       

• Native to Chilean mountains.
• In the wild can attain over 100’ in height.
• A primitive conifer – the leaves are scaly, thick, overlapping, and very sharp.
• Tree is either male (with large oblong cones) or female (with round cones 6” across). Seeds are edible and tasty when heated.
• Quite common in Portland. The 1905 Lewis & Clark Exposition gave seedlings away, making many trees in Portland similar sizes.
• The Heritage Trees are males.

Tree #	Location	Dimensions	Photo and Notes
236	419 NE Hazelfern Pl Private, Front Yard	70' Height 37' Spread 8.5' Circ.
237	415 NE Laurelhurst Pl Private, Front Yard	75' Height 36' Spread 9.4' Circ.
273	446 NE Fargo St Private, Front Yard	60' Height 35' Spread 8.5' Circ.	Removed in 2023.