Monkey-Puzzle Tree

trees · South America · conifers · endangered

Extremely prickly branches. The monkey-puzzle tree is covered in sharp, overlapping leaves that form tough, spiky branches. Its name comes from the fact that monkeys would have a puzzle trying to climb it without getting hurt.

Grows in mountains. This tree is native to the Andes mountains in Chile and Argentina, where it lives high up on steep slopes. It survives harsh, cold weather better than any other tree in its family.

Tall forest giant. Monkey-puzzle trees can grow 30 to 40 meters tall, about as high as a 10-story building, with thick trunks that can reach 1.5 meters across.

Tasty pine nuts. The tree produces large, edible seeds called piñones that look like big pine nuts. Indigenous people in South America have eaten these nutritious seeds for thousands of years.

Living fossil. Monkey-puzzle trees are ancient conifers that have barely changed for millions of years, making them living windows into prehistoric forests.