"Sacha" wrote ...

Charlie Pridham said:

"Peter" said:

I have a Monkey Puzzle tree that is now blocking a path. When is the
right time of year to prune it and is there anything I need to know?
Thanks

All you can do is remove the lower branches. You can't 'prune' one of
these. There's a wonderful avenue of them at Bicton College in Devon.
They were planted in 1843 and the largest has a trunk girth of 13' and
is 85' tall so they're not something for a restricted space.

Indeed, I think these are the second oldest in the country having been
part of the first batch of seed sent back by William Lobb to Veitches,
the oldest are at Penjerrick as these were brought/sent back by Charles
Darwin from his trip on the Beagle 1831-1836

I can't say monkey puzzles are my favourite trees but when grown as
those are at Bicton, they're very imposing. Someone has planted one in
our local churchyard and I can't think of anything less appropriate,
somehow!

I love Monkey Puzzles as long as they aren't mutilated, there is a "young"
one in the lawn near the Orangery at Kew and it's truly magnificent with
branches so thick you can't see the trunk and they come down to the ground
allowing children (and those who should know better) to feel the reason it's
got it's name.
They have also planted three in a group at Winkworth Arboretum down towards
the lake and it will be interesting to see how they grow. They are so
different in growth from the one at Kew that I think there must be different
varieties.

BTW don't try to move an established little tree, I helped a chap do that
once and when I saw the roots I knew it couldn't be done but he insisted,
very long thick roots and no fibrous roots at all. It died, an expensive
mistake.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK