Toni,

Is it Araucaria Araucana?

MBT, is it? LOL..I don't know..I've never seen one before, but I'll check around and see if I can find info..do you know anything about growing this plant? The info I got said let soil dry between waterings. Can you tell me anything about the AA? thanks, Toni

Toni,

I've never grown one and AA is the only plant I know by the name of Monkey Puzzle...here is a site with some info on it and pics. See if it looks like yours.

Here is a link that might be useful: MonkeyPuzzleTree

MBT, thanks, but that tree is way too large to tell..mine is small, about 8" tall..lol..it's got a long long way before ever looking like that if it is the same plant..LOL. I'm going to look in my plant books under the AA u mentioned and see if they have a smaller plant..thanks. Toni

I used to tend a monkey puzzle tree in an office. It liked being kept quite dry, and someone (not me) kept dumping water in it until it got root rot and died. A shame because it was a lovely plant and in the head honcho's office. Even a bigger shame because I had to carry the big, heavy, VERY SHARP thing (which is even sharper when it's dead than alive) to the dumpster. Pain!

Good luck with yours. I've never seen another one.

Al, you got it right!!! I just went to the nursery I bought it and it says, Araucaria bidwilli..duh..sorry..

What about an Air Potato? Dioscorea bulbifera??? Anyone heard of this? They sent me a bulb and I've planted it..any info on this one?

Watergal, how tall was the plant you tended to? If large, I bet this plant was expensive when new. Toni

Air Potatoes are kind of a pest down here, but really have beautiful foliage and wouldn't be a pest as a houseplant. The 'potatoes' form in the leaf axils if I remember right and fall to the ground, and pretty soon you've got a lot of 'em. I was so afraid they'd take over I wasn't very nice to mine, and then it got weed-wacked a couple times, so I don't have it anymore. They don't seem too hard to please--the nicest ones I've seen were in the shade. They do get fairly large growing up into trees, but I would assume would take pruning just fine. We do have a lot of heat and humidity, so maybe a dry house would keep them under control if they needed that.

It was about three or four feet tall and I bet it cost a pretty penny. Unfortunately, I'm not privy to the financial details of our company - boss keeps that pretty close to the vest. I just have to keep them alive and gorgeous once they are paid for!

I have this one, Toni.

It does like to be kept somewhat dry...but don't let it dry out or you'll lose the lower branches.

It also like a somewhat 'cool' location as it is a tree hardy to zone 7 'ish'.

I've found it pretty easy to grow indoors in a cool location...it even puts up with a lack of light in winter.

My family hates it 'cuz it's definitely a prickly one!!

Gotta love it though....it's quite an interesting plant.

I got some Air Potato tubers in a trade too. I got Dioscorea batatas AKA Cinnamon Vine. I think I'm going to plant some as a house plant- I hadn't thought of keeping it as a house plant I was going to plant them in the yard. I may have a couple of tubers to spare if anyone wants to do a trade.

I have a monkey puzzle tree. I water mine once a week ( I am a careful schedule waterer) and live in zone 7 (Montana), but it is indoors. I think that I paid about 50.00 for mine and it is about 5 feet tall, 3 feet around and is growing like crazy. I have it in the corner of my dining room but it gets indirect light from a very large west and south window. I think that I have also seen this called a banya banya tree or a chilean pine. How large is the one you bought? Good luck with yours, I get lots of comments on mine. I have very small battery operated lights on it and have used it at christmas with mini ornaments. It doesn't bend the way a norfolk pine does, and my cats leave it well alone.
Sara

Green how dry a house are you talking about? The least humid my house gets is 40%. That's when the humidifer isn't working right. Normally it's between 50-65%. But growing in a container will keep a plant from filling a whole room. I can't wait to see what it looks like now..

Water, I'd like to see its looks at 3-4' tall.

Nan, both plants are in a cool room..in fact, if they don't need a ton of light I can place them in an even cooler room. What do u think?

MBT, where do the tubers grow? In the soil or on leaves?

Sara, I measured my plant..it's about 15" from the bottom of the pot to the tallest leaf. I guess it's slow-growing, therefore probably needs little food..Does anyone know the best food for these plants?
Also, since the air potato is a bulb should I feed now? Both are in tiny pots, 3". Thanks, Toni

Toni, our house is dry - bone dry. I was wrong about our zone, we live in the middle of montana and after searching last night I found out we are zone 5a or b. Lows here are -15 to -30 in the dead of winter. The only moisture that I have is my aquarium (65 gallon) but don't know the humidity levels from mere evaporation. I measured my tree and it is 5 feet 2 inches from bottom of pot to top leaf. I have never let it completely dry out and I fertilize with elanors vf-11 every time I water year round (weekly in the winter, 2-3 times in the summer when above 80 degrees). I have constant new growth, not only from the top, but from almost all of the side branches as well.

I have over 60 different hoyas that I give the same treatment to, and they seem to do well also. Do I dare say that I haven't lost anything in a long time and risk the wrath of Murphy's Law? I tend to get superstitious about these things.
Best of luck. The tree is really pretty and the bigger it gets the more I like it. Definitly one of my favorites. I think that they are almost all my favorites. :)
sara

Sara, you don't use a humidifer? Wow, we run 2 humidifers, sometimes 3, 2 indoor fountains,and daily misting..LOL. Plus every wk I 'try' taking a group of plants to the kitchen sink and hosing or the upstairs shower. It's a job but worth the work.
So, would u say this is more of a succulent plant than not? How big is yours and what pot size? How long did yours take to get that size? Toni

Toni,

They grow on the vine...pretty neat looking too I might add. I found you a pic so you can see for yourself.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Toni...I only mentioned that they put up with a lack of light in winter because mine simply 'has to' and hasn't suffered a bit.

If the location you have it in now has more light, I'd leave it there if you're hoping for new growth.

I put mine on the sunporch in the summer where it gets light from the south and west....that's when it does most of it's growing.

I haven't potted mine up to a larger container since I bought it....I'm trying to keep the size 'in check'.
You know as well as I....we can only accomodate so many large plants!

MBT, thanks, they are pretty..I wonder how long it'll take before they sprout. Are the 'potatoes' edible or toxic..and are they seeds? thanks.

Nan, how big is your bulb and what size pot do you have it potted in? My bulb is small, an the pot is 3". I'm sure if it grows I'll repot cause that is too small..

Tonight I'm going to sow seeds from the plant, Telegraph Plant..ever heard of it? It moves when touched like Mimosa but not mimosa. I'm not sure if this is a tender perrenial, which I'm hoping or an annual..Toni

Bulb???
I'm talking about the Aracauria (Monkey Puzzle), Toni.....no bulb involved;)

Nan, sorry I was referring to the pic MBT displayed. I thought you were talking about that plant..maybe I should have created two threads, now it's getting confusing..LOL. Sorry..Toni

Wish I had a photo of the monkey puzzle. The silhouette was basically the same as a Norfolk Island Pine, only it was more cone shaped, whereas Norfys often have the diameter getting bigger as you go up, like an inverted cone.

Water, do you want me to take a pic of my monkey puzzle? It's not big at all though..there's not much to it..lol..

hopeful, no, that's OK. I have my fond memories...

:)

OK, here's what I know (which isn't much). Araucaria bidwillii, also known as Bunya-Bunya and as monkey puzzle tree because the sharp, pointy leaves ase supposed to keep the monkeys that try to climb it puzzled, is a native of Queensland, Australia. It likes 1000-3000 footcandles of light and I think it would appreciate regular water, but be sure not to keep realy wet for too long, more like a poinsetta or a hoya. May reach 150ft. tall, but not in any of our lifetimes! Be sure to give it enough space and light but keep it out of the way of trafic because its needles can grab onto and tear clothes.
I've also heard abou the telegraph plant but I don't think that there is much information out about it.
When I was on vacation in Hawaii I saw lots of Norfolk Island Pines(they are realy conspicuous on the horison)and they were shaped like a perfectly formed pine tree. They look realy neat because the branches grow in tiers so they look layered.

Flash, I read something about monkeys..it's funny but I've an old old plant book and found the Monkey Puzzle plant in there,,they don't give much info in those old books, but did mention monkeys climbing trees. LOL

I've decided to place a pic of my 'baby' MP...if anyone has any other help, please say so..Thanks, Toni

Here is a link that might be useful: RE: Monkey Puzzle?

I will attempt to post a link to the picture of my monkey puzzle. I haven't done this before, and just set up my album this morning, so ....here's hoping. It is a bit dark, but it is the tree in the back corner in the 15 gallon crock.

Here is a link that might be useful: house plants

Toni, I have seen a couple of these recently in local green houses. Very unusual looking. The one I really liked was somewhat dense and about 3 feet tall-sort of a geometric shape with deep green sharp looking leaves.

What a cutie your plant is. I hope it will grow up to be as spectacular as the one I saw.

Toni, did the book happen to be The Exotic Plant Manual ? It's a really cool book!

I also think it might like a little bit bigger pot ;o)

Green, yours looks like the Norfolk Pine..My eyes aren't the greatest, can anyone else help???

Flash, the name of the book is called My Favorite House Plant..I'll have to check on the author..
Flash, the roots are really tiny..that's why it's in that 3" pot..I figure if the roots spread out by spring I can always repot again. It's still really a small plant..but thanks for the suggestion..Toni

Toni, it does look similar to the norfolk pine, but all of its branches look like yours with the little triangle spikes (definately the monkey puzzle) I have had Norfolk pine too, and was not successful. It grows new branches from the top in sets of 5 new stems and then they branch out in an alternating manner as they grow longer. I will take a new close-up picture today or tomorrow, but this one was taken with the intention of getting the whole room after dh finished painting, not a close up of my plants. Sorry about that. The picture should help you see what the shape will eventually be.
Sara

Sara, speaking of your room, it's fantastic..I love the furnishings..
And the plants look sooo nice..Love your urn plant..Toni

Toni, thank you. I really enjoyed looking at your album of plants on yahoo, and that is when I set mine up, after viewing all of you pictures. I don't own a digital camera yet, so I borrow dh's work camera. I will remind him to bring it home so that I can take a new close up picture today and load it up to the albums (way too fun once I started yesterday). Hopefully it gave you an idea of how the tree will grow once it is older. Right now mine is still decorated from Christmas ( the kids and I can't bear to buy "live" trees even though we live in a logging state). That was actually the motivation for purchasing the Monkey puzzle tree - to have our Christmas tree growing year round. It is sooooo sharp though, that the ornaments (very light or miniature) may stay on it year round too as it has continued to put out new growth - lots of it since Christmas. I did read that the Monkey Puzzle is a relative of the Norfolk Pine, maybe all pines are relatives, who knows, which may account for the similarities in their appearance from a distance.
Sara

All conifers are related, but not necessarily closely (as all flowering plants are related.) In this case, "pine" is just a broad common name; thery're not true pines. However, Norfolk Island pines and Monkey Puzzle trees are indeed closely related -- in the same genus (Araucaria). They're pretty ancient plants, and pretty interesting if you're at all science-minded.

Toni-- Two or three years ago you gave me the addy of that nursery, and I orded Monkey puzzle seeds from them. What I received looked more like stubby root things (~a couple cm long) than typical seeds, and when I planted them, they shot right up to a couple inches tall. They've grown rather slowly since, but then, they've endured some pretty rough conditions here in the last couple years.
A little OT, but I got some Cycad seeds from banana tree, too. They're VERY slow growing, but I've enjoyed them! The very name of the place is an indication that they won't exactly be sticklers for nomenclature, but I got some neat seeds way cheap.

Looks like this thread is pretty old now, but I thought I'd chime in with a link to a little article I wrote about the monkey puzzle tree in my backyard. It's an Araucaria araucana.

Here is a link that might be useful: Monkey Puzzle Tree

Excellent article, mrander! I hope we'll be hearing a lot more from you on this forum.
Since you mentioned the tree being in your yard, I assume the photos are yours, too. They're great shots. I like the perspective on the branch tip. It looks like a long Sempervivum.

Thank you Mrander..that's one lovely tree..but by the time mine grows half that size, I'll be about 140 yrs old.>LOL.
Since it's becoming extinct, this motivates me to really care for my plant..I wish it grew faster than it does..
The part is your article about monkey's is hilarius. Toni

Tiny Treasures nursery sells monkey puzzle seedlings. I have never purchased from them but thought I'd share the link. They also have the blue form of Chinese fir, cunninghamia lanceolata glauca, that many confuse with MP.

Here is a link that might be useful: monkey puzzle

The picture is too dark for me to tell anything about the plant. The tree usually refered to as Monkey puzzle is A. araucaria not bidwellii. They are hardy in the ground here (zone 7). Wish I could find one 5 feet tall for $50.00. They are very slow and will take forever to reach that size from a seedling. They are among the oldest forms of plant life on the planet. Monkey puzzles saw the dinasaurs come and go.