ARAUCARIA

Genus of 19 species of evergreen, coniferous trees from  New Guinea, Australia, New Hebrides, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island and South America of which the Chilean pine or Monkey puzzle is the only one suitable for outdoors in the UK.

Easily recognised by the thick, triangular pointed leaves and the habit of losing lower branches with age and often seen as a front-garden tree planted beneath power lines!

The seeds, piñones, are edible large pine nuts and ideas have been advanced about creating plantations in the west of the UK.

Cropping would commence after about 40 years and yield would be substantial given that life expectancy of the tree is 1000 years...