"Monkey Puzzle" - an unusual tree in Turkey

Those who have ever been to Alanya have probably seen an unusual tree with thorns on Cleopatra Beach. It is called "Maymun çikmaz ağacı" - "monkey puzzle". It grows not only in Alanya. For the first time, the "monkey puzzle" was planted in Antalya. It quickly gained popularity and municipalities began to actively use it in the landscaping of districts. Now it is often found in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions of the country (Mugla, Bodrum, Aydin, Izmir).

The trunk of the tree is covered with thick large thorns, which is why it got such an unusual name. The height of the trees growing in Turkey averages 5-10 m, however, the "monkey puzzle" can reach a height of 25 m. It blooms twice a year with fragrant pink or white flowers. The flowers turn into rather large pear-shaped fruits. Inside, the fruits are filled with white silky down, resembling cotton or silk, and black seeds. By the way, you can stuff pillows with this down, you can squeeze oil from seeds, and make ropes from the bark of a tree. So the "monkey puzzle" is not only an extraordinarily beautiful tree, but also useful.

The scientific name of the tree is Ceiba speciosa (silk tree). It is a deciduous tree species native to the tropical and subtropical forests of South America. Interestingly, in other countries, the tree has no less original names. For example, in Spain it is called palo borracho ("drunken stick"), and in Bolivia it is called toborochi ("tree of refuge").