Araucaria araucana

The Araucaria araucana, also known as the pewen, monkey-puzzle, pehuen, or Chile pine, is a tall evergreen tree. It can grow up to 30–40 metres (about 98–131 feet) high. It belongs to the Araucariaceae family and has a thick trunk, about 1–1.5 metres (3.3–4.9 feet) wide. This tree grows in central and southern Chile and western Argentina.

The Araucaria araucana is very important to the people of Chile and the province of Neuquén. It is chosen as their national tree. However, this tree faces problems that have made its numbers go down. In 2013, experts changed its status to Endangered because of cutting down too many trees, forest fires, and animals eating its young plants. It is important for people to help protect this beautiful tree.

Description

The leaves of the Araucaria araucana tree are thick, tough, and triangular. They are about 3–4 cm (1+1⁄4–1+1⁄2 in) long and stay on the tree for up to 24 years. They cover most of the tree, except for older branches.

This tree usually has separate male and female cones on different trees. The male cones are oblong and grow to about 8–12 cm (3–4+1⁄2 in) long. The female cones are large and round, about 12–20 cm (4+1⁄2–8 in) in diameter. They hold around 200 seeds. The thick bark, up to 15 cm thick, may help protect the tree from wildfires.

Taxonomy

The closest living relative of the Araucaria araucana is Araucaria angustifolia. This tree is found in Brazil and northeastern Argentina. It looks similar but has narrower leaves and shorter spines on its seed cones. Other trees in the same group, like Araucaria cunninghamii, Araucaria heterophylla, and Araucaria bidwillii, grow in the Pacific Islands and Australia.

Habitat

The Araucaria araucana tree grows naturally on the lower slopes of the Chilean and Argentine south-central Andes. It can also be found in the Chilean Coast Range as far south as Villa Las Araucarias. Young trees start with a pyramid shape, but as they grow older, they develop a unique umbrella-like form. This tree likes soil that drains well and is slightly acidic, often found in volcanic soil.

Seed dispersal

Araucaria araucana is a tree that makes lots of seeds at once. Small rodents, like the long-haired grass mouse, help spread these seeds by burying them in good spots for growing. The austral parakeet also helps spread the seeds. Big natural events, like volcanic eruptions, usually do not hurt adult trees. After these events, parakeets help carry seeds to new places.

Threats

Logging was a problem for these trees, but it stopped in 1990. Big fires in 2001–2002 burned many forests and destroyed very old trees. Other threats include animals eating the seeds, overgrazing, and people taking too many seeds. This makes it hard for new trees to grow.

Cattle ranching also makes it hard for new seedlings to grow. Studies show that animals, both native and non-native, can harm the tree’s ability to reproduce.

Cultivation and uses

The Araucaria araucana tree is popular in gardens because of its thick, symmetrical branches. It grows best in cool, rainy climates and can survive very cold temperatures. You can find these trees in parts of Europe, North America, and the southern hemisphere.

The seeds of the Araucaria araucana are edible and taste like pine nuts. People in Argentina and Chile have eaten these seeds for a long time. The tree can make many seeds, but it takes about 30 to 40 years to start making them. The wood of this tree was once highly valued for building, but now it is protected and rarely used.

Etymology

This special tree was first seen by Europeans in Chile in the 1780s. It was named by a scientist named J.I. Molina in 1782. Later, other scientists gave it new names, but in 1873, the name Araucaria araucana was chosen.

The name "araucana" comes from the Araucanians, the native people of Chile. They used the tree's seeds for food. A group of them, the Pehuenches, got their name from eating these seeds, called pewen or pehuén in their language. They believe the tree was given to them to feed their children.

The English name "monkey puzzle" started in Britain around 1850. A man named Charles Austin said it would puzzle a monkey to climb the tree, and the name stuck.