Three Vancouver Monkey Puzzle Trees

Discussion in 'Araucariaceae' started by wcutler, Jun 14, 2008.

  1. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    I saw this tree last week, didn't remember that I'd already posted it so was on the lawn taking photos when the owner appeared and told us it's 90 years old. It's at 4796 Narvaez.
     
  2. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Well actually, for iPhone and other Apple mobile device users, the app is available now on the iTunes App Store - look for Vancouver Trees. The map comes with the upgraded version. Unfortunately, most of the Straley locations for monkey puzzle trees are no longer there, and the locations given in this thread have not been added (yet?). I have the test version of the app for Android, so that's coming, surely by October for the scheduled official launch.
     
  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Yes: still waiting for the big ones.
     
  4. SimFin

    SimFin Member

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    Many monkey puzzle trees have been noted over the course of several years, large and small. It's hard to decipher some of the photos to get a sense of which ones are truly large, and how tall they are - but from what I can tell, four of the largest monkey puzzle trees in Vancouver are the pair at 1063 Balfour, one at 410 West 12th (across from City Hall) and the other one at 2798 Yale (measured as 70 cm dbh). These all would have been planted in the 1910s, probably not long after the houses were built (between 1910 and 1913).
     
  5. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    I have spotted and noted hundreds of large examples of as many kinds of trees in the region, most of which have gone on to be recorded in the print publications of friends. When I say I am not seeing quite apparently big monkey puzzles on this thread it is with an experienced eye. If someone can come up with a complete set of accurate dimensions for particular examples thought preeminent that might change the picture.
     
  6. saopk

    saopk Member

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    I am trying to located monkey tree seeds in the vancouver BC area, I saw your pictures and just wondering if you know which tree might have viable seeds?
     
  7. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    See posting #11 and then Eric's comments in posting #12. That was five years ago, and it sounds like there were seeds on that tree at the time. I thought I found a seed last year, but I can't remember where and I seem to have eaten it before posting it. Maybe the one on the road up to the restaurant in QE Park?
     
  8. saopk

    saopk Member

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    Ive read online once the seed drops, it dies after a few days? is this true?
     
  9. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Seeds are saved and used to grow new ones, this wouldn't be possible if they were so ephemeral.
     
  10. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Yes, if the seeds are kept in a warm, dry room.

    No, if they are kept refrigerated and moist - then they'll keep several months.
     
  11. Monkeypunch

    Monkeypunch New Member

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    Mine's decent sized & heavily coned. Not the largest, but certainly thick. Someone told me it's special because the lower branches touch ground.
     

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  12. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    I noticed today that the tree at the southeast corner of 33rd and Granville has a lot of male cones and one female cone. It's the one in posting #13 in this thread. The second page of this thread has a few other monoecious monkey puzzle trees, starting at posting #38.
    Araucaria-araucana_33rdOak_Cutler_20190626_142221.jpg Araucaria-araucana_33rdOak_Cutler_20190626_142247.jpg
     
  13. SimFin

    SimFin Member

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    410 W 12th - Monkey Puzzle.jpg Monkey Puzzle & House Jun 2010.JPG Monkey Puzzle thru upper window angle Jun 2010.JPG
    Hi Ron, I am interested to know what you define as "big monkey puzzles". The trees recorded at 2798 Yale Street, 410 West 12th Avenue and 1063 Balfour Avenue (all in Vancouver) are in the range of 40-60 feet and between 100 and 109 years old assuming they were planted at or around time of construction (1910-1911) : hard to get a precise height but measuring against the house provides a best guess. The one on West 12th is 80 dbh and the one on Yale is 75 dbh. The Yale photos show both view from street and from inside the top floor window, which is at about 35 ft.. The entire upper section of the tree extends from the roof upwards to give some perspective on its height.
     
  14. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    At least 60', if not taller. This dimension fits with the concept of a large-growing kind of tree (as opposed to a small or medium one) being one that grows more than 60' tall, with even it (60') not being very close to what has been seen in wild stands of monkey trees.

    Araucaria araucana (pehuén) description

    Otherwise at least one instance of 65' was being seen in Seattle by 2005 (Jacobson, Trees of Seattle - Second Edition), with other measurements of specific individual specimens reported in the book including 60', 56 1/2', 55 1/2' and so on through a listing of multiple different examples.

    See also Van Pelt, Champion Trees of Washington State (University of Washington, Seattle) for accurately measured monkey tree figures elsewhere in WA - the full extent of which I don't remember off the top of my head. Also the landmark row that used to be on the main drag through Sedro Woolly or vicinity was towering, with it reportedly having been removed because it was attracting starlings. From the look of them it wouldn't have surprised me if one of more of these was 80, 90 or even 100' tall or more - unless no planting in our region has ever been old enough for such to be possible.

    Otherwise Britain of course, where there have been still extant examples measured in the current century that date from the 1840s has ones 23 m (2010), 25 m (2010), 26 m (2001) and 30.5 m (2000) high.
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2019
  15. SimFin

    SimFin Member

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    Thanks, not being a tree expert myself (I am a heritage planner with the City of Vancouver) that is interesting to note. Vancouver is a relatively young city - the earliest development began in 1887 and picked up in the 1890s but it didn't really take off until roughly 1907 thru 1913. Non-native trees such as this were planted, which I understand were quite fashionable at that time. I'm not sure how that compares to Seattle. I think its development took off a bit earlier, so perhaps trees such as these were also planted earlier? Anyway, it's unlikely that there are any in Vancouver that would predate roughly 1907. Those ones noted are the biggest ones that I know of. Older cities such as Victoria or New Westminster might have some taller/older monkey puzzle trees, though.
     
  16. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    I'm trying not to leave any sizeable monkey puzzle trees go undocumented. Here's a male I haven't seen before, on 10th Avenue west of Oak in the Fairview neighbourhood.
    It has a good side, and a not quite as good side. Would the three-story building to the right be 30 feet tall? Is this about twice that height? That would take it within range of what @Ron B would deem larger than dinky.
    Araucaria-araucana_1055W10th_Cutler_20211117_141817.jpg Araucaria-araucana_1055W10th_Cutler_20211117_141720.jpg Araucaria-araucana_1055W10th_Cutler_20211117_141743.jpg Araucaria-araucana_1055W10th_Cutler_20211117_141757.jpg
     

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