Australian Tree Fern ( Cyathea australis )
This fern will grow into a palm like tree. Like a palm it will shed lower branches along the trunk as it grows. It is a fast growing fern.
It did not mind last winter’s temperature drops into the high 20s. It is quite cold hardy.
It prefers full sun and moist soil. This one spent its first year in my garden in a dry, shady location. I moved it to a sunnier, damper spot so it should do much better this year. I lost one of the three I had planted just from a lack of water. The two remaining are in full sun in the afternoon and a very damp, boggy area of the yard. They are thriving now.
It also wants lots of organic matter, so be free handed with the mulch or organic fertilizers around this plant.
The tree can reach 20m in height and fronds can be as large as 4-6m in length.
Things to watch for on ferns:
Leaf scotch: appears during dry, windy weather. Water frequently and deeply and provide what shade and shelter you can. I’ve really had a problem with leaf scorch on these ferns in the spring of 2008.
Scale: looks like small brown bumps on stems and underside of leaves. I use orange oil.
Mealy bugs: Looks like white fuzz on plants, I just wash them off with a garden hose.
Australian Tree Fern, dividing and potting
tree fern Dec 3rd 2008
5 Responses to 'Australian Tree Fern ( Cyathea australis )'
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These guys have stopped growing now that the weather is cooler. The low temperatures into the high 20s’ F doesn’t seem to have bothered them otherwise.
admin
7 Jan 08 at 1:42 pm
Moist soil, or downright wet soil is needed.
During the dry spell earlier I lost one of these to leaf scotch, the other I moved to a very wet location and it is recovering nicely.
It loves sun and water it really hates to be dry and it doesn’t like wind so give it a sheltered damp location.
ljmacphee
25 Aug 08 at 11:56 am
The one in the bottom photo is about 3 times that size. I’ll try to get a new photo up. These plants must have lots of water. Any source says different is lying.
They rapidly die back starting at the outer edges of the fronds when dry or sometimes even in windy weather.
Sun is dappled most of the day.
ljmacphee
25 Mar 09 at 9:02 pm
Not drought tolerant, we lost one and the other two are iffy looking. I’m hoping the cooler weather and end of the drought bring them back to life.
timestocome
9 Sep 09 at 5:19 pm
It’s unlikely these survived the 3 day frost. I removed the rotted leaves, I’ll wait and see on the plant, but it doesn’t look promising.
timestocome
21 Jan 10 at 11:06 am