Araucaria araucana (Monkey Puzzle)

Common Name: Monkey Puzzle

Araucaria araucana, more commonly known as the Monkey Puzzle, is a tall tree which can reach up to 30m in height. It has a stout, almost cylindrical trunk with smooth bark that has a purplish-brown colour. The base of a large tree can resemble an elephant's foot. The leaves are green, spiky, stiff, leathery, glossy and triangular-shaped. They are thick and broad at the base, sharp at the edges and tips, and are arranged in a spiral around the trunk.

Monkey Puzzles are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate trees. Male catkins are 10-centimetre-long clusters of narrow green stamens which turn yellow and then brown at the end of summer. Female catkins are spiny cones, which are green and gold, with hair-like edges. They grow at the tips of branches. Cones ripen over two or three years and eventually turn brown and release large brown seeds.

https://www.uknature.co.uk is a website dedicated to showing the immense diversity of UK nature and wildlife. Our vast range of habitats, from lowland arable to snow covered mountains, from storm-ravaged coastlines to peaceful inland freshwater lakes and rivers, from dry, sandy heaths to deciduous and coniferous forests, all these habitats contribute to the abundance of UK nature. We have wild birds in huge numbers either residing or visiting our shores (597 recorded species as at July 2013) and we must also not forget the humble back garden with its grass lawns, flower beds filled with nectar rich flowers, shrubs and trees, all designed to attract huge numbers of insects such as bees, moths, butterflies and hoverflies; and finally the small ponds which provide safe havens for frogs, toads, newts and even slow worms and grass snakes. www.uknature.co.uk is the showcase for my personal passion, photographing uknature in all its glory. I sincerely hope you all enjoy the fruits of my labours.