Monkey trees

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Fri May 27, 2011 4:01 am

Does any one of you have a monkey tree or know anything about them? I see them popping up more and more around NJ. One person in the next town over has a huge one that I just noticed. I will have to take pictures but until then here is a stock photo. These are really cool trees.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... branch.JPG
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Z2KspHSCzds/S ... y+tree.jpg

Thanks Mike

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri May 27, 2011 4:41 am

Mike- These are true zone 7 trees. Beautiful things, but too tender for most areas here in S. Ontario. The only ones in my region that I know of are in the narrow band of zone 7 along the south shore of Lake Ontario (aka the Niagara region), but even there they get some burn.

So, to answer your questions: No, I do not grow a Monkey puzzle, but yes I have some good ideas about their hardiness!

You should get one. They are very slow growing.

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Fri May 27, 2011 6:40 am

They are fairly common where I grew up in Oregon (zone eight ) but I have not seen any around Tulsa.
Yes, they look really cool. --Erik

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri May 27, 2011 7:37 am

Love Monkey puzzle trees,unfortunately too difficult for me/monkeys.

I have seen them rated z4-z9.......or too -4F

I have a hard time believing they would survive much beyond z7.

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Fri May 27, 2011 9:08 am

I have been seeing two of them growing starting in the year 2005 in my zone 6a... So slow, some burn but still alive. Pictures took at the spot I mentioned on some day of October 2010.

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Fri May 27, 2011 10:50 am

Very Cool! Thanks everyone, they are such odd looking trees. I just found out they are relatives of the wollemi pine. I'm getting one!!!!
A lot of people have them in Wildwood and Cape May along the south tip of NJ where we have our little beach bungalow...Much milder there.
Enjoy the holiday weekend everyone!

Mike

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Fri May 27, 2011 10:57 am

Mike, it should be fine! Wrap it with a burlap for a winter time.

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Fri May 27, 2011 11:33 am

Great pics everyone!

Mike, apparently there are a few MP trees growing in Nova Scotia, in some 6b and 7a areas. I've got a bunch of seedlings, so I'll be keeping a few for myself to try out

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri May 27, 2011 12:39 pm

Cameron- There was one in Halifax by the water that lasted for some ~10 years before the cold finally killed it outright (1960's-70's? John W. would know more). There is (was?) one other down near Pubnico (Sw corner of the province) in a solid zone 7 that got to 12 feet or so. I've not seen a picture of it for perhaps 5 years now, and last report I heard said it had been killed over the winter of 2007 (or so), but have not had that claim substantiated.

I also know of one that grows with protection near Liverpool, NS. If I recall correctly it was wrapped with frost cloth and had browning of the branches most winters. Liverpool would be, IMO, a zone 5, so not ideal for growing MP!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri May 27, 2011 1:06 pm

Thanks for posting this-I know who to blame now for my buying one!

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Fri May 27, 2011 3:23 pm

Paul, thanks for the info. I've heard that there's also a 5 foot tree somewhere near Bridgewater, possibly one in Digby, and a few other trees around Liverpool. Apparently a place called Cosby's sold them there.

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sat May 28, 2011 5:56 am

Ok So I just ran the idea of a monkey tree by my other half and was quickly told that I am a monkey tree! Now, I'm really buying one and QUICKLY!!!

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sat May 28, 2011 6:26 am

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sat May 28, 2011 1:35 pm

Mike you don't look anything like a monkey tree.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat May 28, 2011 2:36 pm

Mrs T should know...

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sat May 28, 2011 6:04 pm

LOL. After a day of partying and drinking vodka lemonades on the beach I FEEL like a monkey tree! WooHoo! Welcome summer!!

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Sat May 28, 2011 8:26 pm

Welcome summer indeed.
Partied on the backyard beach under palms trees.

Yes, do get a monkey tree and feel free to blame me.

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sun May 29, 2011 5:04 am

TerdalFarm wrote:Welcome summer indeed.
Partied on the backyard beach under palms trees.
Yes, do get a monkey tree and feel free to blame me.

Cool! Glad you had a nice day too. Oh I'm getting one. ...

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sun May 29, 2011 9:44 am

I ordered one right after you posted this-

I blame you!

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Sun May 29, 2011 6:14 pm

hardyjim wrote:I ordered one right after you posted this-

I blame you!

Send me the link: where did you get it? That's cool!!!!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Mon May 30, 2011 9:08 am

They are small as it does not appear they give them away!

I will probably torture mine for a while until it gets bigger
and then finish torturing it by planting it!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWNX:IT

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Mon May 30, 2011 12:48 pm

hardyjim wrote:They are small as it does not appear they give them away!

I will probably torture mine for a while until it gets bigger
and then finish torturing it by planting it!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWNX:IT

Nice...I actually just saw another one today on the way to go foos shopping. Must've been right under my eyes all these years: It's a good 5 ' tall.

damir · Post by **damir** » Mon May 30, 2011 11:28 pm

i have few seedlings of araucaria. one survived this winter outdoor 2 years old, lowest temp was -13C, but few weeks it was below 0C.
very nice plant unusual look.

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Tue May 31, 2011 3:37 am

damir wrote:i have few seedlings of araucaria. one survived this winter outdoor 2 years old, lowest temp was -13C, but few weeks it was below 0C.
very nice plant unusual look.

They are unusual but really amazing looking!

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 1:58 pm

they seem to get burn up here but it's still alive and growing....I'm hoping it will get hardier with age. It's been in the ground since 2006.
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... une218.jpg>

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 2:40 pm

Looks about like my Sequoia does after winter but your milder on the low temps....

I am also hoping my Sequoia will get hardier with age-seems like it has.

I will post a pic of my M-tree,it arrived yesterday,just a baby.

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 1:35 pm

I have a monkey puzzle tree. Does well here, but grows very slowly.