Full Shade
ORDappled Sun
High
Tree ferns are very slow growing, about 2cm a year. They require moisture over the trunk and damp but not wet root conditions. A rosette of new fronds are grown each year and the crown must be protected if frost is expected
They resent drought or dryness at the at the roots.
This plant may produce offsets that can be transplanted and will form new roots.2
Germination is tricky. It is essential to sterilise pots and germination mixture before starting. This can be done by cleaning the pots and then placing in a solution used to sterilise feeding bottles. Compost can be sterilised by heat in an oven. This also dehydrates, so after cooling the growing medium, rehydrate with cooled boiled water. Alternatively carefully pouring boiling water over the growing medium may be sufficient. Allow to cool completely before use.
A suitable growing medium could be well chopped tree fern fiber, sphagnum moss and cleaned grit
Place spores on the surface of moist, growing medium and cover with a plastic bag or piece if glass but do not make it air tight. Keep moist but not wet and not in direct light.
Do not give up for 6 weeks!
Spores grow into green heart shaped prothalli, male and female cells are produced on the prothalli and a tiny fern plant develops.
So potting on only after the baby fern is well established. Use clean equipment, cooled boiled water, keep out of direct light and cover the tiny plants, to maintain the humidity.
Harden off slowly, but do not plant out until the fern is well established, perhaps in its 3rd or 4th season.
Tree ferns are most often bought as mature trunks that have been harvested from sustainable conditions. The trunk is then planted and rehydrated, allowing a new root system to develop.
Tree ferns enjoy a sheltered wind free spot out of direct sun light. They appreciate increased humidity.
Ferns do not flower so do not make seeds but spores can be collected from sporangia on the under side of spore producing fronds.
In late summer place the mature frond, showing sporangia on the underside, on a piece of paper in a still, dry place. If the sporangia are mature, the ripe spores will be shed onto the paper and look like a dark powder
These estimates for how long Soft tree fern takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
This fern tree starts producing spores at about 20 years.1
Australian Tree Fern, Man Fern, Tasmanian Tree Fern,
Dicksonia antarctica Labill.