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Commonly known as a Monkey Puzzle tree, it is a slow growing evergreen tree growing up to 40 m tall with a 2 m trunk diameter. It is native to central and southern Chile and western Argentina. It is the hardiest species of the conifer genus Araucaria.
The tree usually has male and female cones on separate trees and is a wind pollinated. The seeds are usually dispersed by birds and squirrels. They are edible, similar to large pinenuts. However the tree does not yield seeds until it is around 30 to 40 years old. It is tolerant of temperatures down to -20°C, and coastal salt spray.
It was originally found in Chile in the 1780s and is the national tree of Chile.