Monkey Puzzle Plant Care

The  A. araucana needs abundant watering in the spring and summer, and in winter, it is enough to keep the soil moist.

Carefully remove yellowing pine needles as they appear.

The main fertilizer during planting or active growth is well-rotted organic matter, 11-33 lbs (5-15 kg) per plant. In summer, add 0,17 fl oz (5 ml) of liquid complex fertilizer per bucket to the water for irrigation once a month.

Chilean Monkey Puzzle is light-loving; it grows well only in full sun. Allocate the Monkey Puzzle tree indoors in a well-lit place with diffused light, protected from direct sunlight.

Use a mixture of soddy soil, peat, and sand. The soil should be evenly moist and slightly acidic to ensure the tree’s growth, although pretty much any well-drained soil type will do.

Seeds and cuttings can carry out propagation. In March, place a few seeds in a small pot 3-6 in (8-10 cm) in diameter with seed soil in a cool room. It is also possible to cut an apical shoot in July and plant it in a mixture of peat and sand for rooting.

Adult specimens tolerate low winter temperatures below −4 °F (−20 °C) well, while young plants are sensitive to cold, so they should remain in a protected place for 2-3 years. At temperatures above 68 °F (20 °C) in summer, ensure good ventilation in the room.

To grow this unusual exotic plant, first get a spacious pot 8-9 in (20-25 cm) large, then choose a tub.

The Mapuche Native American tribe believes that the tree is sacred, which is not surprising, and this fact only accentuates how fragile is the beauty of this species.