Monkey Puzzle Tree Facts

'Conundrums', 'Adventure'.

In a graveyard, it prevents the devil from joining a burial.

Originally known as Chilean Pine, the tree was named Monkey Puzzle in the 19th century after Charles Auston saw a young tree in 1850 and commented 'it would puzzle a monkey to climb that'.

The trees can withstand intense heat, such as from lava and bushfires.

It is sacred to the Indigenous Mapuche people, who rely on its seeds (piñones) as a traditional food source and regard the tree as spiritually significant.

The strong branches of this species have made it a powerful national symbol of resilience, endurance, and uniqueness. It is long-lived and slow-growing, traits that align with ideas of continuity and natural heritage in Chilean identity, therefore it has been selected as their national tree.