Pinetum Britannicum Series: Araucaria imbricata

This beautiful portrait of Araucaria imbricata, commonly known as the monkey puzzle tree, is from The Pinetum Britannicum (1884), a massive 3-volume work by Edward Ravenscroft (1816-1890), which describes hardy coniferous trees from around the world that were cultivated in British gardens in the 19th century, when exotic conifers were all the rage. It is filled with William Richardson’s exquisite hand-colored lithographs of individual trees growing in their native habitat or in important British gardens. The Pinetum Britannicum is considered one of the greatest works on conifers ever published, and both Napoleon III and Queen Victoria were among its subscribers.

Araucaria imbricata (now Araucaria aurana) grows on the lower slopes of the Andes in Chile and Argentina, and was introduced into England in the mid 19th century. It gained its common name when a proud gardener showed his new specimen to his guests, and one commented that “it would puzzle a monkey to climb that tree.” The crowded, twisting branches made the monkey puzzle one of the most popular ornamental trees in English gardens.

This pigment print on Arches Infinity Textured 230 g/m stock faithfully reproduces the colors of the original. The print is in a limited edition of 300 and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Unframed.

From the Rare Book Collections of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library at The New York Botanical Garden.

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