Tree Ferns in the Southeast

[Kailua_Krish]

Hey all,

I was wondering if anyone was growing tree ferns in the southeast (FL, GA, LA, ect) and if so what types are you growing. I have several Cyathea cooperi growing, all of which survived 20 degrees (unprotected) or perhaps even lower this year and have full heads of green leaves now. One of them is even about 5 foot tall. I also have a small Dicksonia antarctica that I recently bought that seems to be growing well. I am on the lookout for other species.

What about y'all?

-Krishna

[Darkman]

I am encouraged to see this post as I have always wanted to include tree ferns in my zone 8a/9b garden in Pensacola FL. I have an unknown one that I purchased at a box store as a house plant but I planted it under my Phoenix Roebellini outside. It has survived the last to years with protection but has not grown hardly any at all. I would like to think that maybe there is one that I can sucessfully grow here. Each year it did not regenerate growth until mid May. The first year it came back from the crown which was only a foot tall. This year the growth was from several offsets at the base. It is definately not a happy camper.

Charles in Pensacola FL

Edited July 9, 2010 by Darkman

[ThunderSRQ]

As far as I know, "the source" for ferns in Florida is Central Florida Ferns (great selection and very knowledgable -- they sell several tree fern types and would be a great resource re: your particular zone/area/situation). They don't ship plants and only sell to the public at plant sales, but if you call or e-mail, Ray can let you know which sales they'll be attending this year (I've bought quite a few ferns from Ray).

Ray Roberts

Central Florida Ferns

phone: (407) 889-2690

e-mail: Fernman61@aol.com

Tim

Edited July 9, 2010 by ThunderSRQ

[Kailua_Krish]

I am encouraged to see this post as I have always wanted to include tree ferns in my zone 8a/9b garden in Pensacola FL. I have an unknown one that I purchased at a box store as a house plant but I planted it under my Phoenix Roebellini outside. It has survived the last to years with protection but has not grown hardly any at all. I would like to think that maybe there is one that I can sucessfully grow here. Each year it did not regenerate growth until mid May. The first year it came back from the crown which was only a foot tall. This year the growth was from several offsets at the base. It is definately not a happy camper.

Charles in Pensacola FL

Hi Charles,

If you bought it from a box store Im going to assume it is Cyathea cooperi which is rated to about 25 degrees hardiness (although as mine has shown it can definitely go a bit colder). I've heard that Cyathea australis is much more cold tolerent and grows quickly like the cooperi so would probably be a better bet for you. Also make sure it gets sprayed occasionally during the summer if we have too many days without rain as these grow much better when kept moist. I've heard D. antarctica is very cold tolerant but am unsure of how they handle our heat, mine seems to be doing fine but I've only had it for a month or so. I bought it off ebay.

-Krishna

P.S. Thanks Tim for the info

[peachy]

Krishna, I have seen wild Dicksonia antarctica growing in the snowfields in the Victorian alpine region, covered in snow and doing fine. Also seen them come back shortly after devastating bush fires too. They can take a lot of heat, well into the 40s as long as you water them well. Cyathea cooperi croak on me with even a touch of frost for some reason and unless I water them every day in summer and every 3rd day in winter, they shrivel up too. For some reason even though there is a plethora of tree ferns native to this country, and even this region, there's never any other species for sale. I am sure some of the New Zealand species of tree ferns would do well for you. Some of them are gorgeous looking things too....wish I could get hold a few myself.

Peachy

[Kailua_Krish]

Krishna, I have seen wild Dicksonia antarctica growing in the snowfields in the Victorian alpine region, covered in snow and doing fine. Also seen them come back shortly after devastating bush fires too. They can take a lot of heat, well into the 40s as long as you water them well. Cyathea cooperi croak on me with even a touch of frost for some reason and unless I water them every day in summer and every 3rd day in winter, they shrivel up too. For some reason even though there is a plethora of tree ferns native to this country, and even this region, there's never any other species for sale. I am sure some of the New Zealand species of tree ferns would do well for you. Some of them are gorgeous looking things too....wish I could get hold a few myself.

Peachy

Thanks for the info Peachy! I really dont know why I have had such good luck with cooperi. I bought about 9 of them and have 4 left, but the 4 that survived are great growers! I have the D. antarctica planted in the ground between mu pool and pond so I think the humidity will stay pretty high for this one plus its in a corner so it stays pretty damp. Hopefully this will suit it. I got spores of C. dealbata, C. medullaris, D. fibrosa, and some other Cyathea but I havent had much luck in germinating them. I have a few left in the fridge that I think I will try again but starting from spore seems so hard! When I searched online it looks like the Europeans have the corner on the market for tree ferns, I dont really understand why people dont use them more here and in Australia.

-Krishna

[Eric in Orlando]

Here is what we are growing. All did well this past winter with no damage;

Cyathea australis

C. brownii

C.cooperi

C. cooperi 'Revolvens'

C. princeps

Cibotium barometz

C. glauca

C. schiedei

Dicksonia antarctica

Sadleria cyatheoides

Also, Angiopteris evecta. Not a true tree fern, but massive and it can develop a trunk several feet tall.

Have also tried Cyathea arborea but this one is ultratropical, below 29-30F always kills it.

[Jonathan]

Krishna,

Your climate couldn't be much more different from where Dicksonia antarctica grows here in Tasmania.

They mostly occur in the cooler areas of the state, often at some altitude, although rarely in frost prone locations, ie. generally in thick rain forest or wet sclerophyll (Eucalypt) forest. Rainfall is high, with high winter dominance. Max temperatures rarely reach 30C. They can take some cold however, and will withstand short periods of snow cover.

Will be very intereseting to see how they go in Florida - kind of the reverse of our experiments with palms down here!

Good luck,

Jonathan

[Kailua_Krish]

Krishna,

Your climate couldn't be much more different from where Dicksonia antarctica grows here in Tasmania.

They mostly occur in the cooler areas of the state, often at some altitude, although rarely in frost prone locations, ie. generally in thick rain forest or wet sclerophyll (Eucalypt) forest. Rainfall is high, with high winter dominance. Max temperatures rarely reach 30C. They can take some cold however, and will withstand short periods of snow cover.

Will be very intereseting to see how they go in Florida - kind of the reverse of our experiments with palms down here!

Good luck,

Jonathan

I'll make sure to keep the forum updated on how this one does! Its a shame its so difficult to get any tree ferns here

-Krishna

P.S. Thanks Eric and everyone else for the responses! I'm still trying to get around to posting photos of mine.

[Tulio]

Hi Krishna,

Where did you get D. antarctica? I have been looking for one for a while without any luck.

Regards,

[Kailua_Krish]

Hi Krishna,

Where did you get D. antarctica? I have been looking for one for a while without any luck.

Regards,

Ebay. I check there from time to time as occasionally someone has something interesting.

-Krishna

[Eric in Orlando]

Hi Krishna,

Where did you get D. antarctica? I have been looking for one for a while without any luck.

Regards,

If there is a locally owned garden center /nursery near you, check there. If they order Monrovia plants that would be your best bet. I have never seen a Dicksonia antacrtica in a nursery around here that wasn't from Monrovia.

In FL they can be tricky but if you find a good spot they will grow. They like bright shade, fertile moist soil, never allow them to dry out. But also they like a breezy location with good air circulation.

Here is one we are growing that is very happy. It was a small 3 gal planted Sept. 1997, almost 6ft tall now.

[Kailua_Krish]

Here are the photos of two of mine, I only took one picture of C. cooperi even though I have several. Note that the C. cooperi took at least to 20 degrees this winter for many hours with no protection.

C. cooperi

Note that the fronds still arent even in how they grow, this is due to some residual damage to the growing point. A few fronds also have a bit of brown due to this plant being in full sun all day.

D. antartica

Its so small!

-Krishna

Hmm, not sure why they are coming out sideways. They are upright on photobucket...

Edited July 20, 2010 by krishnaraoji88

[stevethegator]

Bump!

I love tree ferns. Seeing them in habitat on my trip to the Caribbean last year just fed enthusiasm even more.

I have a couple Cyathea cooperi. One I bought as a kid from the orange box store and it has about 5' of trunk, recently transplanted it to the new place and it hasn't missed a beat.

Cooperi is hardier than given credit for, at least in the southeast. They grow fine in Ganesville, FL (9a/8b). I even managed to overwinter a small one, in a pot, on my patio in Atlanta GA by cutting the fronds off and covering the crown with a cup filled with insulation. There is a large one at the Atlanta Zoo that gets some protection, not sure if it survived this past winter though.

I also grew Dicksonia Antarctica, I was able to order an 18" trunk from Northern Ireland of all places, but I killed it by watering it in the crown during winter in Atlanta (stupid I know).

I also grow Blechnum Gibbum which is a small Brazilian species which develops a trunk. These like lots of humidity and moisture, mine have always remained in South Florida and have never seen frost.

I ordered a Cibotium glaucum trunk from Hawaii but it barely sprouted and died when my dog knocked it over, I will try again with these soon.

Finally I'm growing Cyathea arborea and an unknown Cyathea I collected on Dominica and St. Kitts, respectively. It was difficult, but the arborea are finally developing into little fernlets, while spp. "St. Kitts" hasn't even germinated yet.

[_Keith]

I lost a very nice one, getting to 12 feet across, in the 2010 freeze. I finally planted its replacement last year and thought for sure it was a goner this winter, but it surprised me and came back. All I did this time was bank the trunk with a couple bags of Oak Leaves. I think I'll plant more.

[Kailua_Krish]

Mine have continued to grow well (The c. cooperi in the above photos is now more than 6 foot tall) and I have bought many more. Ive even had good luck with D. antarctica when they can be found (got a 3 gallon at the USF botanical garden which has been slowly growing). C. cooperi are great plants to pick up as small 1 gallons and just stick in the ground in mixed tropical boarders, they grow so fast that even if our occasional hard freeze takes them out they are worth it!

P.S. A plus to D. antarctica here is that its leaves are not damaged by our winters while occasionally C. cooperi will lose leaves or portions of leaves.

Edited July 9, 2014 by krishnaraoji88

[Jimbean]

I have seen them grow around here in Central Florida

[Alicehunter2000]

Just purchased one from a box store (not the orange one) that was labeled as Australian Tree Fern ....not sure exactly what it is but seems to be ok in the sand so far.....guess I need to post a pic and let you all tell me what I got.

[stevethegator]

Post a pic! It's most likely Cyathea cooperi since it's the only one the box stores usually sell

[_Keith]

Just purchased one from a box store (not the orange one) that was labeled as Australian Tree Fern ....not sure exactly what it is but seems to be ok in the sand so far.....guess I need to post a pic and let you all tell me what I got.

From what I can tell it pretty much impossible to water these things too much.

[Ed in Houston]

Just purchased one from a box store (not the orange one) that was labeled as Australian Tree Fern ....not sure exactly what it is but seems to be ok in the sand so far.....guess I need to post a pic and let you all tell me what I got.

I had an Australian Tree Fern in Houston for 5-6 years with a 3 ft. trunk. It died 4-5 years ago when the temp hit 22F. I planted another last year and it came through the 26F we had fine.

Ed in Houston

[Darkman]

David, Keith, Ed any updates on these. I'm headed to South Florida January 2nd and was thinking on picking up some.

[sur4z]

...here is mine...unfortunately it croaked, why I don't know. It was under a balcony facing north so it go plenty of shade...it had its own bubbler and as you can see it got a little sun. It may have gotten a fungus because I remember some mushroom like growths around its base.

 

[Paolo ruvolo]

Hello everyone, 

I am absolutely obsessed with tree ferns, I have two diksonia antartica and a C Cooperi that I purchased this past spring. they are in pots and they are growing wonderfully. I am in Smyrna Georgia , USA  zone 7b, I was wondering if anyone had any luck in growing these plants in ground  in Georgia .  Also does anyone know where to buy large size tree ferns, ( 3’ or 4’ trunk size).

‘any input is well appreciated. Thank you

[Palm Man]

I'm in NC,, not Georgia, but I had success overwintering a Cyathea cooperii one winter by wrapping the trunk with with bubble wrap and black plastic if I remember correctly. They apparently have some fair cold hardiness in the Southeast. I still have a large one in a container that I overwinter in a minimally heated greenhouse (I keep it above freezing, but it did drop to 25F one night and the fronds were burnt, but plant is ok). I would really like to learn how to grow these in the ground with protection, but I'm hesitant to experiment due to the their cost. If there is anyone else out there with any experience with tree ferns I would like to hear from them as well. I think it may be possible to grow either Dicksonia antarctica or Cyathea cooperi by wrapping the trunk with either several layers of frost cloth with a string or two of Christmas lights wrapped around during the coldest periods. Maybe wrap some insulation around all that for the duration of a very severe freeze. Here we don't usually get many nights under 20F, but it can get very cold from time to time- usually short lived but not always. It's probably about the same for you down in Georgia.