Which tree species is commonly known as the monkey puzzle tree?

The tree commonly known as the monkey puzzle tree is Araucaria araucana.

Araucaria araucana is an evergreen conifer native to central and southern Chile and western Argentina. It is also called the Chile pine, pehuén, pewen, or piñonero. The tree’s distinctive branches carry stiff, triangular leaves that overlap densely, creating a formidable appearance unlike that of most familiar conifers.

Its unusual English name arose in Britain during the nineteenth century. When the species was still a rare garden curiosity, someone reportedly remarked that its spiky branches would “puzzle a monkey” trying to climb it. The phrase became “monkey puzzle,” and the name endured.

The tree has cultural importance for the Mapuche people, who traditionally gathered and ate its large edible seeds, known as piñones. Araucaria araucana is also Chile’s national tree. Logging, fires, grazing, and habitat loss led the IUCN to classify it as Endangered in 2013, while international trade in wild specimens is restricted under CITES.