Hello all,
I have two small monkey puzzle trees (Araucaria Araucana) in air-pots. This past winter, I had tried a new grow light and thought I maybe burned them because after having the light on for some time I noticed the needle tips turning black. New growth is still occurring, but I believe this is a disease and I am asking for help identifying it, if possible. I know they need to be re-potted. Any thoughts or suggestions of what to do or try?

No disease just an unhappy tree. Why are they planted in air pots?

Monkey puzzle trees have very small root systems but are one of the trees that retain a taproot. The soil needs to be well draining but always damp. Mine is in cactus/citrus soil with added perlite.

Air pots, by design, restrict root growth. You want to encourage roots. If your trees were sunburned, the needles facing the lights will be damaged. If the damage is more wide spread, either too little or too much water.

@Lucy68 Thank you so much! Sadly, I've been meaning to repot these for a long time. I use air-pots because I got these when they were tiny seedlings, and I was afraid of root rot at that time. Plus, I was moving and wanted to bring them with. Time to find them a more permanent home. I'll give it a try and fingers crossed they perk up.

I did notice you have a sucker coming up from the root. That is normal for Monkey Puzzles. Leave the extra trunks and enjoy a multi-trunked tree. With age, they will also branch off the main trunk. Branches only last 10 or 15 years but when they die, new branches will grow. One more thing, next spring, the trunks may start 'bleeding' - its a resin that leaks through the bark. A natural pesticide but I have never had any insect or disease problems with mine.

Unfortunately, it fell last winter during the heavy rains. It was 50 years old. The burl is still attached to the ground (that tap root!) and has grown a couple suckers so I'm hopeful for something - it might be a Monkey Puzzle shrub. Luckily, I grew one from seed about 15 years ago.

I don't see any disease, either.

By design, air pots discourage root growth at the sides and bottom of the pot. The purpose is to prevent circling and tangling of roots that can cause problems later in life. In that way they restrict root growth in those areas, but overall, they do not restrict growth.

@lucy68 @leftwood Thank you all for your help! I saw the needles turning weird colors and thought it might be diseased, but it was definitely stressed from needing a repot badly! The roots were about the size of a fist. Luckily they very easily unraveled and wow! What a difference! I wasn't expecting those roots to get that large in just one year. I really didn't want to stress it more but it was definitely in need of help. Fingers crossed it bounces back nicely.

I hope it will be OK. Monkey Puzzles do not like their roots disturbed.

Thanks for that last group of pics. it's nice to actually see how the air pot works.

I know they hate having their roots disturbed, or at least, I had read that before, it was my first time disturbing those roots so hopefully it won't mind *too* much. One benefit of the air-pots though is that it does make it a bit easier to repot. Instead of pull up and out, the sides can be gently removed. In this case, I probably did more disturbing than I normally would but when I saw that root wrapped so much I felt I should untangle it. I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't have. Time will tell.