On 19/06/2020 20:50, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 19:49:10 +0100, "Tahiri" wrote:

My thirty year old monkey puzzle grew cones for the first time last year
which will presumably fall this year. The only other monkey puzzles in the
vicinity are tiny immature ones so how did mine manage to have cones? Or

Its a female. You probably wouldn't notice the male flower parts.
(though you might notice the clouds of pollen they release).

They look more like spiky balls than anything else.

have I got the wrong idea - will they just be cones with no nuts in them?
Are the cones usually intact when they drop or do they fall to pieces first?
How do I tell when they are ready to drop?
I understand the nuts, if I get any, are edible. Are they eaten raw or
cooked?
I am guessing they don't self-seed, or young plants would not be as dear as
they usually are!

If yours has cones then it is almost certainly a female and will need a
male near enough to fertilise it. Very ancient wind pollinated tree. Its
fossilised ancestors form the gem quality jet deposits at Whitby.

Single trees don't usually bear seed, although occasionally a tree
with have flowers of both sexes. They're wind pollinated, so perhaps
there's another one in the next street. Lots more here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arauca...ation_and_uses
Doesn't say if you get 'blind' cones though.

You get pollinated fertile and non-fertile protoseeds. The fertile ones
are fatter and will grow. They are nice roasted like chestunuts.

The only way to find out is too try growing them. They germinate very
easily when fresh.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown