Dicksonia antarctica is an attractive fern that can grow up to 15m in height; it has large dark green roughly textured fronds in a spreading canopy of up to 6m in diameter.

Position

D. antarctica thrives in is in filtered sunlight, loose well drained soils with lots of organic matter and lots of water. However, this species can still withstand some drying out and can survive in drier conditions.

Care

D. antarctica is relatively easy to grow, the most important thing is to keep it moist and the base covered with mulch to keep it moist and supplied with nutrients. It is a valuable species in the garden as it can be used as a host for epiphyte ferns, orchids and bryophytes. It also provides shelter for more delicate fern species to flourish underneath.

Propagation

Propagation is primarily from spores but it can also be grown from plantlets occurring around the base of the rhizome.

It can also be grown as a ‘cutting’. This involves sawing the trunk through, usually at ground level, and removing the fronds; the top part will form roots and regrow, but the base will die. The ‘cutting’ should be placed in a cool position and regular overhead water applied. If this is done in August, new fronds will be produced during spring and summer and a mature plant will be obtained.(This method is not advised for Cyathea, the other tree-fern genus).