I have always called this plant curious monkey tree or monkey puzzle tree. I think that it's Araucaria araucana, but I'm not sure. Here are some pictures.

If someone could help me out, and make sure that that's the correct identification.
thank you

Definitely not Araucaria araucana (Monkey Puzzle), but not really a conifer person so cannot tell you what it is, only what it is not.

P.S., This is one I started about 1.5 years ago.

There is another Araucaria that may be a better fit. Araucaria cunninghamii is an Australian tree known as hoop pine.

Has yours ever formed cones?

Araucaria cunninghamii is only hardy o Zones 9-10, not Zone 8a.

It's not an Araucaria.

Not Araucaria araucana,..or other Araucaria sp.
Pics below to show details

KellyFW said: There is another Araucaria that may be a better fit. Araucaria cunninghamii is an Australian tree known as hoop pine.

Has yours ever formed cones?

Not Araucaria cunninghamii ..see pics below.

@WebTucker, is it possible to get clearer closer photos of needles, cones, bark... ?

It does have characteristics of an Aracaria... My first thought was someone had planted their Norfolk Island Pine.

My second thought was Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) or maybe Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) but KellyFW would have recognized both of those..

DaisyI said: @WebTucker, is it possible to get clearer closer photos of needles, cones, bark... ?

It does have characteristics of an Aracaria... My first thought was someone had planted their Norfolk Island Pine.

My second thought was Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) or maybe Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) but KellyFW would have recognized both of those..

Not Norfolk Island pine...Araucaria heterophylla..see pics below.
Agree ..we need clear close up pics.

Silversurfer said: Not Norfolk Island pine...Araucaria heterophylla..see pics below.
Agree ..we need clear close up pics.

With age, they are all completely different than in youth. Still waiting for photos but not willing to rule out an Araucaria.

Wouldn't zone 8a be too cold?

It would be for heterophylla but Araucaria angustifolia would probably survive there.

The bark is very distinctive. I'll stop guessing and wait for better photos.

"Wouldn't zone 8a be too cold?"

Yes.

It does not remotely look like any Araucaria, not even slightly.

You obviously know more than I do.

"You obviously know more than I do."

No!

But I do know Araucaria. I am not really into most conifers with a few exceptions...,
Cedrus, Sequoia, Metasequoia, Gingko, Taxodium, Cephalotaxus, Cryptomeria (Japanese Sugi). That's why I suggested a conifer pro would be better at saying what it was, rather than what is not.

subtropix said:

But I do know Araucaria. I am not really into most conifers with a few exceptions...,
Cedrus, Sequoia, Metasequoia, Gingko, Taxodium, Cephalotaxus, Cryptomeria (Japanese Sugi). That's why I suggested a conifer pro would be better at saying what it was, rather than what is not.

Conifer id is hard.
Especially when images do not show clear detail.

I love conifers but without clear close up pics to show detail (Needles/cones etc) then at this stage I would not be willing to make any suggestion for this tree. I am awaiting WebTucker to add more pics.

I really hate saying sorry it is not...."xxx"... without giving an accurate answer. I hope by adding images when possible, the person making the suggestion can see why it is not the correct suggestion.
Left unchallenged the person posting the query may well accept the suggestion as being the accurate answer ....when in my humble opinion it is not the case.
I hope this helps explain why I try to contribute and why I add pics .

Okay folks! I love a good discussion.
Here are some photos that will hopefully help.
Bark









Leaves






Other stuff

Shoot! It STILL looks like some sort of Araucaria. Hmmm.... I really wish I was standing under one of my full grown Araucarias in my previous yard. Maybe I could feel some Zen. Has it ever produced 15 lbcones? How old is it? Maybe a Bunya - A. bidwillii. I'm leaning towards Bunya.

PS to subtropix, we are the pros - at least on this website. See the little magnifying glass amongst our badges?

DaisyI said: Shoot! It STILL looks like some sort of Araucaria. Hmmm.... I really wish I was standing under one of my full grown Araucarias in my previous yard. Maybe I could feel some Zen. Has it ever produced 15 lbcones? How old is it? Maybe a Bunya - A. bidwillii. I'm leaning towards Bunya.

Many thanks for new pics.
Would love to see a very clear pic of a healthy branch on a white piece of paper with something for scale.
Conifers are hard from pics.

Sorry Daisy still not seeing it like Araucaria.
Not like Araucaria bidwillii..... the trunks of which look like the foot of an elephant.
My last pic is a dead branch on the ground.

I'll send the tree next lol!




I believe the tree is a male, hence male cones new and old. The tree is very old, I moved here about 25 years ago, and it was already big at maybe 40 plus feet today, maybe closer to fifty (not sure).

Here is a seedling.














The tape is in centimeters.

It kind of reminds me of Cephalotaxus.