#dicksonia

Plant of the Day

Friday 17 January 2025

In my friend’s tropically inspired garden in Essex, UK, there was a magnificent clump of Aspidistra elatior 'Variegata' (cast iron plant) alongside Dicksonia antarctica (soft tree fern) and Fatsia japonica 'Variegata' (false castor oil plant). This evergreen perennial creates a clump of leathery, long, dark green leaves with irregularly stripes of creamy-white. This plant needs shade and a relatively frost-free enviroment.

AKA wheki, rough tree fern, harsh tree fern, Trichomanes squarrosum, Dicksonia gracilis, Dicksonia squarrosa var. gracilis, and Balantium squarrosum. Not to be confused with Dicksonia antarctica, the Soft Tree Fern 

Another of Aoteoroa’s large ferns - these tree ferns grow up to 7m tall, connected to each other by rhizomes, forming groves. This one was near Huka Falls like some of the previous ones, but it’s found over much of New Zealand and some nearby islands, in coastal to montane forest on the North Island, but on the South Island it is largely confined to coastal and lowland sites.

A rapidly growing tree fern, that can do surprisingly well in a container or small garden as long as it doesn’t get too much exposure to harsh sun or very cold weather. Earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, but I’m not sure which year.

There are two main kinds of treefern around here: rough and soft. They are well named, for the simplest way to distinguish the two is to feel the bases of their fronds. The rough treefern’s, Cyathea australis, is covered in warty bumps and feels almost like sandpaper. However, as you descend into the deeper, wetter valleys, you start to see the soft treeferns, Dicksonia antarctica. These are smooth and covered in long, soft hairs at the base, like a horse’s mane or something ...