Araucaria araucana or as it is more popularly known as – The Monkey Tail Tree, or The Monkey Puzzle Tree. Apparently, when it was introduced into Britain in the 19th century someone remarked in awe that “It would puzzle a monkey to climb that.” And the name took.
I rather like the french version – “desespoir des singes” or ‘monkeys’ despair’. Either way its exotic nature never fails to fascinate.