Browse plants / Dicksoniaceae
Soft tree fern Dicksonia antarctica
Also called Man fern
When it flowers
- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
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Slow, stout tree fern with a fibrous trunk and arching crown, for cool, shady gardens.
The tree fern of cool, wet forest gullies in the south-east. Its thick, fibrous trunk grows only a few centimetres a year and carries a crown of large arching fronds. Very long-lived. Trunks sold in nurseries come from logging sites and should carry a tag showing they were legally salvaged.
In the garden
- Flowers
- Inconspicuous
- Attracts
- Shelter for small wildlife
- Leaves
- Large, arching, dark green fronds; thick trunk of brown fibrous roots.
Growing conditions
- Climate
- Temperate and cool and alpine
- Light
- Part shade to full shade
- Soil
- Loam and clay
- Drainage
- Copes with occasional wet
- Frost
- Moderate frost
- Water
- Needs regular water
- Coast
- Not suited to coastal gardens
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Seed
Planting
Shade and shelter from wind. Plant trunks shallowly and firm well; they grow new roots from the base.
Pruning
Cut off dead fronds; old ones can be left as a skirt.
Care
Water the top of the trunk and crown, not just the ground, especially in summer.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Dicksoniaceae
- Order
- Cyatheales
- Native to
- ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria
- Natural range
- Cool, wet forest gullies from south-east Queensland to Tasmania.
Where to buy
Widely available.
We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.
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Further reading
- Dicksonia antarctica on the Atlas of Living Australia (Atlas of Living Australia)
Native nurseries near you
An independent list of nurseries that specialise in Australian native plants. Nobody pays to be on it. Distances are approximate and in a straight line. Opening hours and stock vary, so check before you go.