San Marcos sells them. Both of mine came from there (through a local specialty retailer). Try either going to their website and asking about retailers in your area who buy from them, or go to your favorite local specialty retailers and see if they do. Good luck!

I looked it up and we have something here that is similar, same family, that may be more readily available. Araucaria araucana (monkey puzzle tree) is popular and grows to be a beautiful tree. You just have to watch out for the cones when they fall, because they are HUGE.

I wonder if Conifer Kingdom grows small ones. On their website they sell mature specimens but they're quite expensive. Maybe contact Conifer Kingdom and see if they grow little ones and when they'll be available.

That's a strange thing to say because there was a huge monkey puzzle tree growing in a lot behind Duke Garden Center in FL that had reportedly been there as long as the garden center. That is now zone 10, and probably was then, but the maps hadn't been updated in a long time. It as extremely healthy and happy.

DG, I can't find a "Duke Garden Center" anywhere in Florida on Google. Is that the correct name? Is it still there?

Thanks,

Carol in Jacksonville

Carol, no it closed down several years ago. It was in Venice. I think the entire lot was cleared when it was sold, and I never knew if the monkey puzzle tree belonged to that lot of the one next door. ETA It was on the corner of US 41 by-pass and Pineland Avenue. EDIT 2 - Google satellite shows it as a big vacant lot, but the trees are still there, so it probably is still there, if it's still alive.

It was most likely a Bunya Bunya especially since it was in Venice (south FL). They look very similar to a Monkey Puzzle and have been mistakenly called MP in Florida for many decades. The true MP comes from Chile and prefers a cooler climate like the Pacific Northwest or the warmer parts of the British Isles. Florida's climate is just too hot for them, it makes them very prone to fungus. The Bunya Bunya is from eastern Australia and grows well here. Except old, tall specimens are very prone to lightning strikes. These were brought into Florida in the late 1800s and were common novelty tree decades ago. You still see them in older neighborhoods but hardly ever sold anymore in garden centers. They are very prickly, and get large so need room. Also female trees bear very large cones that can weigh 20-40 lbs. Its a good tree for large estate lawns or parks. They are hardy through central FL and into the warmest parts of north FL. Prolonged temperatures below about 16-17F is usually fatal. In north FL and other areas of the South, China-Fir, Cunninghamia lanceolata, is common. It can resemble a Monkey Puzzle and sometimes mistakenly called that. But it is not related as it is in the Cypress Family (Cupressaceae) and not Araucariaceae.

Carol, I just look on Google Street View and as of 2015, the tree was still there.

eric242 - Whatever it was, it was still there when Google did their street view in June of 2015. Gorgeous tree.

dirtygardener, can you post the link so I can view the monkey puzzle on Google street view?

Thanks.

DG, thanks for the follow-up. I bet it was an interesting tree to see!

Eric, thanks for all of the explanation. Your plant knowledge is incredible and I always appreciate it when you share with us on this site.

Carolb, I hope you can find the tree!

Carol in Jax

All one sees at that location on Google maps are the silhouettes of Bunya-Bunyas. True monkey puzzles can barely handle the heat and humidity of DC.