Monkey Puzzle in Davenport, FL

I stood out front the house talking with some landscapers about the most bizarre tree in our neighborhood, estimating whether it would hit my century-old home if it ever fell. We laughed and carried on about our whimsical conversation when the tree made three loud thumping sounds.

“See! There’s a spell on that tree.” I told them, as I’d just finished sharing the legend with them of the Monkey Puzzle tree. It was a quieting moment.

While there are several variations of the legend, the one I like the best is about the devil incarnate, who sits atop a fiery nest at the apex of this pyramidal, fire-resistant tree, not all the time, but he sits there for bits and whiles, long enough to spook those who see him. Everyone around Monkey Puzzle must be quiet while the devil’s there lest they attract his attention…