"Chinese" Monkey Puzzle Tree.

This is a Monkey Puzzle Tree, sometimes thought to originate in China, but it is actually from Chile. There was an open day at the Municipal Cemetery about 5 weeks ago, sad person that I am, I attended. This was because the guide was a tree expert who worked for the Wildlfe Trust. He was very knowledgeable and told us that these were very popular with the Victorian plant hunters and also very expensive. The cemetery was started around the middle of the 19th century when the price of these would have been astronomical, and a good way for the local big wigs to show of their philanthropic largesse to the people of the town. This specimen is around the corner from where I live, and is a particularly fine one.
Adios.