Growing Monkey Puzzle in Canada — Coastal BC Only
A prehistoric Andean tree you can grow in Canada — but only on the mild south coast of BC. Why it needs Zone 8, why it fails inland, how big it gets, and where to buy one.
Few trees stop people in their tracks like a mature monkey puzzle (Araucaria araucana): a tall bare trunk topped with an umbrella of symmetrical, whorled branches, every one clad in stiff, overlapping, spine-tipped scales that look straight out of the Jurassic — because they essentially are. It is a true living fossil, the national tree of Chile, and one of the most distinctive plants you can grow.
The honest catch for Canadian gardeners is climate: this is a coastal-BC-only tree. It thrives in Victoria and Vancouver and simply will not survive a continental Canadian winter. This guide is straight about where it works — and where it won't.
Monkey puzzle at a glance: A coastal-British-Columbia-only tree, hardy to about Zone 8 — Victoria, greater Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, milder Gulf Islands. It will not survive inland BC, the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, or Atlantic Canada. A prehistoric living fossil from the Andes; slow-growing but eventually a large 20–30 m umbrella-crowned tree. Full sun, shelter from cold wind, and keep it away from paths — the leaves are spine-sharp. Hardiness zones based on Natural Resources Canada's Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada.
The One Thing to Know: It's Coastal BC Only
Before anything else about care, be clear on climate, because it decides everything. Monkey puzzle is hardy to about Zone 8 and needs the mild, wet, frost-light winters and cool summers of its native Andean cool-temperate rainforest. In Canada, that means the south coast of British Columbia — Victoria, greater Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, and the milder Gulf Islands.
Do not attempt it inland. The Interior of BC, the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada all get far too cold. This isn't a case where a sheltered city microclimate carries a Zone-8 tree through a Zone-5 winter — a hard continental freeze kills monkey puzzle outright. If you're not on the mild coast and want a bold evergreen, plant a hardy spruce or pine instead.
A Genuine Living Fossil
The Araucaria lineage was widespread when dinosaurs walked the Earth and dates back well over 150 million years — the stiff, spiralled, spine-tipped foliage looks much as it did in the Jurassic. The species is native to the volcanic Andean slopes of Chile and Argentina, where it forms ancient forests; it is the national tree of Chile, is now endangered in the wild, and is protected under CITES. Growing one is, quite literally, planting a piece of the age of dinosaurs in your garden — part of why collectors prize it.
Is Monkey Puzzle Hardy Where You Are?
Because the climate line is so sharp with this tree, it's worth checking your city against its Zone-8 requirement before you fall for one. On the mild BC coast it's a "yes"; almost everywhere else in Canada it's a "too cold."
Verdict compares your city's Natural Resources Canada hardiness zone to the tree's rating. Zones are regional averages — a sheltered microclimate can beat them. Find your exact zone →
Siting, Size & Care (on the Coast)
- Room for a big tree: ultimately 20–30 m with a broad umbrella crown. Site it as a long-term specimen with space, away from buildings and wires.
- Keep it away from paths: the leaves are stiff and genuinely spine-sharp — plant well back from walkways, patios, and play areas.
- Sun & shelter: full sun, with shelter from cold, drying wind. It wants the cool, humid coastal air it evolved in.
- Soil: moist but well-drained; it dislikes drought and waterlogging alike.
- Slow & long-lived: expect only 15–30 cm a year, but the tree can live for centuries — patience is the price of admission.
Where to Buy a Monkey Puzzle in Canada
Look for monkey puzzle at specialist and coastal BC nurseries and some larger Vancouver–Victoria garden centres — it is genuinely rare elsewhere in Canada, for the simple reason that it won't grow elsewhere. Buy a healthy young tree, ask by the botanical name Araucaria araucana, and plant in spring so it has the full growing season to establish. For sourcing channels and what to ask generally, see where to buy rare & collector trees in Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you grow a monkey puzzle in Canada?
Only on the mild south coast of BC (Victoria, Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, milder Gulf Islands) — Zone 8. Everywhere else in Canada is too cold; a hard continental freeze kills it, so it's a genuine coastal-BC-only tree.
What zone does a monkey puzzle need?
About Zone 8. It's a gamble in coastal Zone 7 and won't survive at Zone 6 or colder. Inland and Prairie gardeners wanting a bold evergreen should plant a hardy spruce or pine instead.
Why is it called a living fossil?
Its lineage dates back over 150 million years, essentially unchanged since the Jurassic. Native to the Andes of Chile and Argentina, it's the national tree of Chile and is endangered in the wild (CITES-protected).
How big does it get?
Slowly (15–30 cm a year) but ultimately large — 20–30 m with an umbrella crown on a tall bare trunk — and very long-lived. Plant it as a full-size, long-term specimen with room, not a compact garden tree.