The family of this tree is one of the oldest tree families on earth; fossil finds are estimated to be 90 million years old. The tree, also known as the Chilean fir, is rare and can live for several decades.
Characteristics of Araucaria
The Chilean Araucaria is an evergreen tree with particularly striking “branches”. Rather, they are leaves that are hard and leathery and arranged in scales on the twigs, branches and trunk.
- These leaves have a triangular appearance and are approximately 3 cm long. They are sharp and pointed and have a brown spine at the tip.
- The bark of the araucaria is particularly protected against fire, just as it needs it in its homeland. It is up to 14 cm thick and has a gray to anthracite color.
- The monkey tail tree produces male cones that can reach a length of approx. 6 cm. The female cones are round.
- Araucaria only becomes more beautiful over the years. When he is young he still looks very thin and thin, but only in middle age does his branching become more and more dense.
- The monkey tail tree then develops an umbrella-shaped crown until it reaches old age.
Area of distribution
The Chilean auracaria comes from the Andes region of Chile; it also occurs in Argentina and Patagonia. The araucaria is an evergreen tree that grows in its homeland at altitudes of up to 1,700 m above sea level. d. M, occurs. In our country, araucaria can only survive the winter well in mild regions. The monkey tail tree is also cultivated in the British Isles, particularly because of the exotic beauty that the tree conveys. Here it is not threatened by deforestation, in contrast to its homeland, where it is used to build houses, boats and even bridges. The tree is another special feature among the Indian tribes in Chile. They use its seeds as food, especially during the winter months, it is often the only source of food that saves the Mapuche people over the winter.
Location
If you would like to grow a monkey tail tree in your garden or in a container, you should know a few things. The location should have good, well-drained soil for this tree. It should be evenly moist and have plenty of nutrients. If the garden is in a region with severe frosts, the araucaria must be given winter protection. Basically, this is necessary from temperatures of -5 °C.
Tip:
Use winter protection made of straw mats, brushwood or other organic materials.
The wind is often worse than cold temperatures in winter. It not only dries out the branches of trees, but also the soil. In addition, the sun can get very warm in winter and contribute to the araucaria having a difficult time. The earth should therefore also be protected against cold and wind. This is done with a thick layer of mulch. As the monkey tail tree gets older, its hardiness to winter influences also increases.
The location can be sunny, the soil must under no circumstances be waterlogged. Aside from fungal infections, other diseases can cause the tree to weaken. The right location with the desired soil conditions should be carefully selected because after years it will no longer be possible to transplant the araucaria. After transplanting, it forms very few new roots, which would make it easier for it to grow. If you still want to try it, it should be done in early spring or late fall.
Planting Araucaria
To become the proud owner of an araucaria, you can plant a small plant in the ground or breed it from seeds. Araucarias are relatively easy to propagate. When growing from seeds, care should be taken to put the harvested seeds into the ground immediately. Once they dry out, the success of propagation is not as good. If a period of time needs to be bridged, they can be stored in the refrigerator in the damp sand and protected by plastic wrap. Small plants can overwinter brightly and at around 15 °C.
Tip:
The monkey tail tree grows very slowly.
The seeds should be placed with the tip down and halfway into “cocohum” or alternatively into potting soil mixed with sand. They are then moistened and covered and left cool for 3-4 weeks. This can be done in the refrigerator or in a cold house. The germination temperature should not exceed 20 °C and should not fall below 15 °C. They should be kept moist but not wet. After the cold phase, the seedlings are separated. The earth should never dry out completely.
Pests
If the soil is too wet, the needles can turn yellow and brown. If the soil is too wet, fungal diseases can occur that cause the roots to die. However, there are also other fungi in the soil. A well-drained and not too wet soil is very important. In addition, the araucaria should be supplied with fertilizer every 14 days.
What you should know in brief
The monkey tail tree is a bizarre plant, a tree that is being seen more and more often in our gardens. It is also called decorative fir or Andean fir. Most of these trees are not as large as their counterparts in Chile and Argentina. The Araucaria family is one of the oldest tree families in the world. The monkey tail tree grows very slowly and can get very old. Araucaria is evergreen.
- The monkey tail tree likes a bright, sunny spot. The tree works best as a solitary plant, without any plants around it.
- The planting substrate should be moist but permeable, moderately nutrient-rich and slightly acidic.
- During the main growing season, the tree must be watered sufficiently and regularly. But you always wait until the top layer of soil has dried thoroughly.
- The tree is sensitive to waterlogging. This is particularly important as long as you keep it in the bucket. Drainage at the bottom of the pot is recommended.
- Araucaria copes better with dryness than with wetness. As long as the tree is in the pot, you should fertilize with liquid fertilizer every two to three weeks.
- Young trees don't tolerate our winters so well. They need winter protection.
- For the first 4 to 5 years, it is a good idea to cultivate the tree in a large container. It can then be planted out.
- Older trees can tolerate temperatures down to -15 ˚C, maximum to -20 ˚C, but not for long periods of time. Araucarias are sensitive to winter sun when there is frost.
- You can easily grow the monkey tail tree yourself from seeds. What you should pay attention to is that the seeds must not dry out. So you should sow immediately after ripening.
- If you have to store the seeds, it's best to store them in moist sand in plastic wrap in the fridge, but not for long! The seedlings are overwintered in light and at around 15 ˚C.
