You say "there are many examples in parks and gardens" I find this hard to believe, if you are referring to Sydney parks and gardens. I think you may be confusing Monkey Puzzle (Araucaria araucana) with Bunya Pine (A. bidwillii). Monkey Puzzle is very rare in NSW, both because young trees are hard to source and because they fail to thrive in most NSW environments. I have seen a couple of semi-mature specimens in the Blue Mtns in the past, in a Leura garden and at Blackheath Park, but suspect neither still survives. There may be others hidden away from view.

I do know of two healthy 20-year-old trees of Monkey Puzzle at Mt Tomah, in private gardens. They are striking specimens though have not yet developed the parasol outline of mature trees. If you wish to take this further you can email me.

No I am not confusing a Monkey Puzzle with a Bunya but was under the impression that Monkey Puzzles were well represented in various parks in NSW. I have never seen an actual Monkey Puzzle tree and would like to. I wrote in the hope that someone could point me in the right direction. It iseems they may be harder to find than I thought. I shall live in hope. Thanks for your reply, Tony

Perhaps you could try asking the various councils in your area. Their parks people should know what they have growing.

There's a good one in the Botanic Gardens in Christchurch,NZ, if that's any help.
Tony

Thanks Tony, if ever I am in Christcurch I will certainly look at it. Living in Sydney it is a bit far to go for a quick look! It seems that no one knows where there is one in Sydney - so far. Gabrielle

Have you tried contacting Sydney Botanical Gardens? If they don't have one there, they may know where you might find one.

Wonder if there is one at the Zoo (I'm thinking large, established grounds). You might also contact the Horticultural Dept at Sydney Uni and I believe there is a horticultural college at Ryde.

I bet $20 that there isnt one in Sydney-only chance is the Blue Mountains. Just too hot in Sydney, but Id love to hear different, as I would like to grow one in nensw.
From Kris

I've seen them in Goulburn, Parkes, Griffith, Canberra and I'm sure there's one in Moore Park.

Try contacting North Sydney TAFE - they have an excellent horticultural college and methinks they are doing a survey of the "urban forest" of Sydney to map out what's exactly where.

Paradisi,
this is Araucaria araucana that we are talking about yes?
From Kris

Kris, yes indeed, Araucaria araucana is the one - I still have not found one.

Paradisi,I know there lots of large fitgtees in Moore Park but have not seen a Monkey Puzzle there - where in Goulburn and where in Canberra?. Gabrielle

both the trees in canberra and goulburn were in private gardens.

I can believe private gardens in Canberra and Goulburn, rather less Parkes and Griffith (too dry), but as for Moore Park, I'll believe it when I see it, not before!

I can assure you there was an Araucaria araucana in Hyandra Street Griffith this was in the 60s - the one in parkes was in the "suburbs" behind the high school.

Hi all - I'm assuming this conifer(?)is extremely hard to find in Australia? Would Monkey Puzzle trees grow in Queensland sub-tropics? Bunyas (ancient Gondwanaland relative?) grow very well and very tall in central QLD.

I noticed in Armidale NSW and southern areas of Australia (eg. Melbourne), Bunyas seem "stoutier and shorter" not as tall as their northern counterparts. I guess the colder months influence this. Our Botanic Garden road entrance is lined with 100+ year-old Bunyas in a grand avenue in Rockhampton.

Anyhow, if anyone has Monkey Puzzle growing in Australia, I too would be keen to learn of a supplier.

Hello Boof, Bunyas are very popular in parks and seem to do well in most parts of Oz. Some do grow very tall - I have seen a whopper in Mittagong where it gets quite cold. I don't think Monkey Puzzles would do well in Qld. - it seems they like high cool areas. I am still looking for one to look at and , hopefully, photograph. G.

It's highly unlikely that a Monkey Puzzle would grow in the Queensland subtropics, unless perhaps in some cooler, humid locations such as the summits of the Bunya Mountains or McPherson Range (both mostly National Park!). As I tried to emphasise in my earlier post, it seems to be unknown in the Sydney region and indeed in all NSW coastal lowlands, though you would think it must have been introduced here many times over the last 150 or so years. It only appears to have been grown successfully in the tableland areas in NSW, in the central highlands of Vic, and in Tas - see Spencer 'Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Aust.' vol. 1.

A Google search shows that Araucaria araucana has its northern limit in Chile at 38 deg 40 min S and grows at altitudes between about 900 and 1700 m. From about 1850 onward it was discovered that it would happily grow in many parts of the British Isles (50 to 55 deg N). The Qld-NW border is around 28 deg 30 min S!

This prompts a generalisation that has sometimes occurred to me, namely that most conifer species can be grown in climates somewhat cooler than those of their natural ranges, but few will thrive in climates that are warmer. One exception that occurs to me is Platycladus orientalis, which I have seen in coastal N Qld.

As for where a Monkey Puzzle can be bought in Australia, I looked in my 2000/2001 edition of 'The Aussie Plant Finder' and find listed 3 suppliers from Vic, 2 from NSW and 1 from Tas. You could seach on the names Yamina, Dicksonia, Quindalup and Vintage Trees to find if any still stock them.

Here is a pic I took just recently of a Monkey Puzzle in a private garden at Mount Tomah, planted c. 1982 as a small seedling. Its height is about 7 m.
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Thanks for posting the picture of the tree at Mt. Tomah. It must be an immature tree as it has not yet developed the bare trunk and rather shaggy topknot which seems to be characteristic of these trees. I will try to attach a photo but am not quite sure how to do this but here goes, Gabrielle

Well it seems that did not work. I am still on the look out for a Monkey Puzzle tree but have not found one as yet., though I have seen a number of other intersting conifers.

Come to Victoria and make your wish come true!
Cheers,
Dee.

Gabrielle, there is a beautiful mature specimen here at my work, (Waite campus, Uni of Adelaide). I'd be more than happy to take a high resolution picture for you if that would help?
Let me know (by email), it's no trouble at all.

Thank you Jamus, I would love to see a picture of the Monkey Puzzle Tree at Waite campus. I can scarcely wait! (sorry!) I do look forward to seeing it soon I hope.

Well to surprise everyone and myself included, I was visiting a friends place on the Atherton tablelands last Saturday and happened to be in his greenhouse when my eyes lit up in amazement at the sight of an Araucaria araucana growing quite happily in a pot !
It was cutting grown and from a world known reputable source. I was even more amazed when he said 'here have it'.
So I have it now in a pot, where it is currently putting on new growth. It stands at a mere 25cm tall but is healthy and has been through a couple of the Wet Tropics summer's and winters.
I live in Tarzali at the moment which is 700m asl and it is currently raining everyday.

Plants always amaze me!!
How's that Tony!
From Kris