Featured Conifer- Araucaria araucana AKA Monkey Puzzle

Araucaria araucana AKA monkey puzzle tree/ monkey tail tree/ Chilean pine/ pehuén) is an evergreen tree growing up to a whopping 40 m (130 ft) tall with a 2-m (7-ft) trunk diameter.  Monkey Puzzles are known as the hardiest of all conifers and due to their incredible age are also described as a living fossil.  The tree is native to Chile and Argentina and is officially classified as an endangered species.  It was discovered in about 1780 by a Spanish explorer and brought to England by Archibald Menzies in 1795. Menzies was a plant collector and naval surgeon on Captain George Vancouver's circumnavigation of the globe, travelling in Captain James Cook's old ship, HMS Discovery. He feasted on the seeds of this conifer as dessert while dining with the governor of Chile and later sowed them in a frame on the quarter deck, returning home to England with five healthy plants. One of these monkey puzzles could be seen at Kew until it died in 1892.

The common name alludes to the fact that the task of climbing the tree, with its sharp branches tightly clothed with spiny leaves, would puzzle even a monkey.

 Here at Lime Cross Nursery we have been growing Monkey Puzzles from seeds since the 1970s. We have a truly outstanding collection of specimens all aged around 20 years old, priced at £350.00 each. We can ship to any part of the UK- purchase through Ebay or give us a call. N.B- shipping tariff is for a pallet.

 Monkey Puzzle Walk at Woodstock in Ireland

We visited Woodstock last August with The British Conifer Society, where we found an utterly awe-inspiring avenue of Monkey Puzzles.  

Vicky joins the British Conifer Society Commitee

Vicky Tate (Co-owner of Lime Cross Nursery) has been elected to join the committee of the British Conifer Society 

 

Anyone who knows Vicky will know that she is a green-fingered earth child at heart and that she has a natural understanding and love of plants, as well as being incredible knowable. We are super proud to announce that Vicky has been elected to join the committee of the British Conifer Society (BCS) , this was formalised last Sunday at the society AGM held at RHS Wisley.

 

Jonathan Tate, Vicky's father was a founding member and former vice-chairman of the BCS, it has therefore remained important for the nursery and family to stay involved. Vicky, Diana and Helen Tate all traveled with the society to Ireland in September, where they toured the pinetums, arboretums and significant gardens of the south west. 

 

 The society is made up of over 100 members consisting of experts, enthusiasts and nursery men from all over the world.Chairman Derek Spicer is author of RHS Encyclopedia of Conifers: A comprehensive guide to cultivars and species 

Matthew Pottage (Garden Manager at RHS Wisley)  is another member of the committee, who is incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about conifers. Matthew has recently created some truly remarkable plantings using conifers mixed with other plant groups at RHS Wisley, where he is in charge of over 150 acres and a team of over 100 people. 

 

One of the societies primary objectives this year is to focus on recruiting new members. The annual joining fee is £20 which covers the cost of the quarterly journal, as well as lectures in London and the opportunity to attend the annual tour, which this year takes place in California.

 

Please contact Vicky by e mail vicky.tate@limecross.co.uk or call 01323 833229 if you are interested in joining. The only requirement is a genuine love of nature and preferably conifers!  

Like the BSC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/britishconifersociety for their regular updates and to contact them direct.

 The Pinetum at Lime Cross Nursery