Growing Monkey Puzzle in US Southeast??

Hey everyone,
Spring is not too far off, so I'm starting to get everything together for planting. I would love to plant a member of the Araucaria genus outside, but the only two I've seen cold hardy enough to grow in zone 8a are the Monkey Puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) and the Candelabra Tree (Araucaria angustifolia). The Monkey Puzzle tree is the most readily available tree of the two, and although I know for sure it would survive our winters, I've heard mixed opinions on its tolerance for our scorching summers--some say it does fine, others have no luck. From what I've heard, the Candelabra Tree is best suited to the Southeast, but it's notoriously difficult to find. Anyone have any experience with growing these guys in the Southeast? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I grow a monkey Puzzle tree here in Scotland and they are not really that unusual here, they are very, very slow growing and due to this, are expensive to purchase here as they have to be cared for by the growers over a good long period of years before they reach a decent size for the market. I have had mine for about 15 years now and it is only about 2 1/2 feet tall but has lovely long branches with really stiff tough sharp spurs as leaves.
I don't have the heat you have but have seen many growing in Florida gardens as specimen trees in lawns etc, I would think if you wish to grow one, I'd keep it in a large pot and have it in the shadiest area you have (here they take several inches of snow) I'd also stick an upturned plastic juice bottle into the soil, (cut the bottom off the bottle) when you water the pot, the water will go down to the roots where it is most required, I do this with all young trees and leave the bottle in place for several years till they are large enough to search out water themselves a few years after being transplanted into the ground without the pot. I do believe these trees like a slightly acidic soil with plenty leaf-mold added and an annual mulch around the rooted area helps the tree stay cool at the base and helps hold moisture into the soil.
Hope this helps. As for the other tree of the same type, I have no idea but would imagine the care would be very similar.
Good luck. WeeNel.

Hi WeeNel,
Thanks for your post--it's definitely helpful! It sounds then like a pretty hardy tree. If I get a chance to plant one, I'll definitely use your method. Are they fairly easy to care for?

Yes they are easy to care for, plant and tend to things like water, check for animal nipping the tips of the tender foliage when it is new, after a short while the needles (like spear heads in shape) are very brittle and can cut your fingers so use gloves.
Also if you buy a very small plant, just make sure any drooping branches don't get covered with soil at the tips or this will turn brown, if possible use the upturned bottle method for adding water to the roots AND feed if needed, other than that, leave well alone, more plants are killed by kindness than neglect.

Good luck and let's know how things go for you and future Monkey tree. WeeNel.