Monkey puzzle tree browning

[Rebbecca]

Hello, 

I am new to this forum so sorry if I have posted this in the wrong place. 

 

I hope someone will be able to help me. 

 

I have just bought a house that has a very large monkey puzzle tree in the front garden. Unfortunately the tree appears to be browning. 

I would very much like to be able to save the tree as it is about 40 years old and it would be a shame for it to die. 

 

I have attatched images of the tree. 

 

Thank you in advance for any advice you can give 

[stihlmadasever]

Its knackered remove it.We had 2 in one of our parks that did the same thing.

To me its beyond help.

[janey]

Araucaria is pretty bombproof and can even come back from being coppiced, but one thing they are particularly prone to is honey fungus. If that is the cause of the advanced decline in yours, then sadly the only thing to do is remove it and replant with something more resistant. 

[daltontrees]

I'd agree with janey. I have been involved with 3 that did what yours is doing and in all cases honey fungus was confirmed. I saw one of them last week that I had recommended be removed 5 years ago. It has fallen over.

Once the stem bark has split like that, I think you can give up all notions of feeding/mulching. I associate it with separation of bark and wood quite far around the stem, not a split in the wood. I have never seen a monkey puzzle stem fail, it's unthinkable given the density of the wood.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

You'll be well rid (once the shock has passed.) Wrong tree, wrong place.  Is it Staffordshire by any chance? So many suburban houses with tiny front gardens seem to have these beasts....  There must have been a couple of hooky container loads doing the rounds 30-50 years ago....

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

3 hours ago, EdwardC said:

There's been a national obsession for planting monkey puzzle in front gardens, which are almost inevitably small, and outside the living room window for decades. They're everywhere.

I believe they are the new Pampas grass now that the grass has "gone out of fashion".

 

[Mark Bolam]

Wifeswapping will always be in fashion.

[stihlmadasever]

1 hour ago, Mark Bolam said:

Wifeswapping will always be in fashion.

Swap?

Some would give em away..

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

3 hours ago, Mark Bolam said:

Wifeswapping will always be in fashion.

If the previous owner swapped his wife for a MPT, she must have been a rare old bird!

[Khriss]

Dislike the whole idea of them - reduced one once ! - not Native and apart from the Historic monsters in stately homes of Victorian plant collectors - wouldn't ever advise them planted , K