Australian Tree Fern

[sur4z]

Recently I replanted an area in the front of my house; but after living with it a while I felt there was a "hole" that needed filling. A buddy of mine suggested an Australian Tree Fern and showed me a picure of one. I said it looked great and he offered to pick one up for me, which offer I accepted immediately. Upon delivery, i learned quickly that this whispy green plant was not defenseless...IT BITES...I had to put gloves on becuse touching it was like touching fiberglass. It also felt Jurrasic with its rolled up leaves. Anyway now that it is planted i think it will work fine.

[stevethegator]

Looks like a good spot! I've grown one for around 10 years in almost full shade, and have lost a couple due to too much sun. The scales on C. Cooperi can be very irritating so be careful when working around/underneath it. I like to spray them off with a hose before I go near mine, but I leave them on the emerging croziers.

Interestingly, C. Cooperi is much hardier than given credit for in climates with heat. People have grown them to maturity in Atlanta, with 10' or so of trunk by cutting the fronds off and protecting the crown in winter. There is a large one that receives some protection at the Atlanta zoo, but I haven't been there since this winter's epic cold.

Currently I am attempting to germinate spore of Cyathea arborea and another unknown cyathea I collected in the Caribbean, as these may be more suitable for South Florida. I love tree ferns!

Edited April 3, 2014 by stevethegator

[_Keith]

I lost a large one in the 2010 winter here, but my smaller one survived this winter. I am fixing to put in a couple more. Compared to other plants these are very easy to protect. I only wish I had realized that back in 2010.

[Tropicgardener]

This tree fern should be quite fine for southern Florida. In its natural range it occurs from the Queensland tropics right down into temperate parts of southern NSW although it is more common in the northern (tropical/subtropical) part of its range.

[Sandy Loam]

Steve, will Cyathea Cooperi survive way up in northern Florida with our winter overnight cold snaps? (without protection except for overhead canopy) I was thinking of the 'brentwoodi' variety which is allegedly more cold-hardy that the regular cyathea cooperi.

Steve, even if it would survive long-term in my region, would it look terrible in winter? Do the leaves turn brown if temperatures drop below -2 celcius?

Also, does anyone know if it is true that the 'brentwoodi' cultivar is more cold-hardy? This could be a myth.

Thanks.

[Tropicgardener]

Should be able to handle -2 celcius as there are many parts of its range where the temperature gets down below that.

[stevethegator]

  On 4/3/2014 at 4:20 AM, Sandy Loam said:

Steve, will Cyathea Cooperi survive way up in northern Florida with our winter overnight cold snaps? (without protection except for overhead canopy) I was thinking of the 'brentwoodi' variety which is allegedly more cold-hardy that the regular cyathea cooperi.

Steve, even if it would survive long-term in my region, would it look terrible in winter? Do the leaves turn brown if temperatures drop below -2 celcius?

Also, does anyone know if it is true that the 'brentwoodi' cultivar is more cold-hardy? This could be a myth.

Thanks.

Yes! I saw several large ones in yards around Gainesville and as far as I know they all survived '10. I'd say they're 8a plants in the southeast, especially since they only seem to grow well with some shade.

The foliage will burn in the mid 20s but the crown is much hardier provided it is not allowed to get too moist. There is a grove of them at ravine gardens in palatka, I visited in spring of 2010 and while they were defoliated the crowns were perfectly healthy.

As far as I know "brentwood" is a larger and faster growing cultivar and is actually what is most commonly grown commercially nowadays in the US. Perhaps it is slightly hardier because it is more vigorous?

I also had success with Dicksonia Antarctica in Gainesville, in deep shade. The foliage is hardier than cooperi, I'd say down to around 20F but the plant itself is actually more tender in hot humid areas. I lost mine with 2 feet of trunk to a mild atlanta winter by watering the crown and not protecting below 20.

Smaller Dicksonias are readily available and grow large fronds fairly quickly but take a long time to form any trunk.

[stevethegator]

  On 4/3/2014 at 4:29 AM, Tropicgardener said:

Should be able to handle -2 celcius as there are many parts of its range where the temperature gets down below that.

I knew cooperi grew in Queensland but not NSW. That explains the hardiness!

I've always wanted to try cyathea australis as I've heard it's hardier than cooperi but not as fussy about heat as dicksonia. Unfortunately no one sells them in the US

[Alicehunter2000]

I was always concerned that they needed to be misted daily....is this a valid concern? Any special things they require that a "lets say" Queen palm might require?

[sur4z]

  On 4/3/2014 at 6:39 PM, Alicehunter2000 said:

I was always concerned that they needed to be misted daily....is this a valid concern? Any special things they require that a "lets say" Queen palm might require?

My "guy" said to hand water it every day for about 10 days then sprinklers should provide enough water...then fert twice a year...we'll see.

[_Keith]

  On 4/3/2014 at 6:39 PM, Alicehunter2000 said:

I was always concerned that they needed to be misted daily....is this a valid concern? Any special things they require that a "lets say" Queen palm might require?

I don't have to here in Louisiana, but in your Coastal Climate, maybe, not sure. Another thing is these things are big drinkers. Have you considered one by your pool. Even potted maybe.

[stevethegator]

  On 4/3/2014 at 6:39 PM, Alicehunter2000 said:

I was always concerned that they needed to be misted daily....is this a valid concern? Any special things they require that a "lets say" Queen palm might require?

They don't need daily misting, cooperi grows fine all over California so Florida humidity should be plenty.

They are relatively low maintenance, but siting is key. They require much more water than a queen and don't like to dry out.

Mine has thrived on the north side of the house, near the AC runoff. It gets zero care because I'm only home a couple months a year and my parents never go over to that side of the yard. We do have sprinklers, I think they come on twice a week.

I'd recommend full shade, and amending the soil with some organic matter, and plenty of water. Other than that you should be golden!

[Umbrae]

Has anybody had any experience with the Brazilian tree fern ? Blechnum brasiliensis, I have been using the water from my swirl and bio filters on my aquaculture set up to water these and they have responded quite well.

[stevethegator]

I grow the related blechnum gibbum, they like lots of water and high, high humidity

[Umbrae]

I ordered a tray of the Brazilian this morning from an online plant place, and a tray of the antarctic.

[Sandy Loam]

I would love to grow a tree fern, but I have read that the fibrous material which falls from them is extremely irritating to the skin. This may only be a problem for the Cyathea Cooperi varieties, but I have read that one should never grow them over a swimming pool or near any seating area or walkway. Do others share this view? I am considering growing Cyathea Cooperi or Cyathea Cooperi 'Brentwood', but am reluctant to do so for this very reason.

[David in Berkeley]

The chaff from Cyathea cooperi is not all that annoying, mostly only a problem if you are pruning it and some gets down your shirt collar, but I handle cut fronds all the time without gloves and no issues. Blechnum brasiliense I also grow here in Berkeley,California and it is much more cold sensitive plus drought intolerant, B. gibbum is much easier to grow, but doesn't have the red new foliage.

[_Keith]

  On 4/8/2014 at 3:16 AM, David in Berkeley said:

The chaff from Cyathea cooperi is not all that annoying, mostly only a problem if you are pruning it and some gets down your shirt collar, but I handle cut fronds all the time without gloves and no issues. Blechnum brasiliense I also grow here in Berkeley,California and it is much more cold sensitive plus drought intolerant, B. gibbum is much easier to grow, but doesn't have the red new foliage.

This stuff does not seem to bother me. The only thing I have heard is to be careful not to get it in your eyes.

[stevethegator]

Sme people are more sensitive than others, I only notice it if some falls down my shirt. Not a reason not to plant one IMO, unless you have a particular sensitivity to the fibers

[Moose]

  On 4/2/2014 at 6:27 PM, sur4z said:

Recently I replanted an area in the front of my house; but after living with it a while I felt there was a "hole" that needed filling. A buddy of mine suggested an Australian Tree Fern and showed me a picure of one. I said it looked great and he offered to pick one up for me, which offer I accepted immediately. Upon delivery, i learned quickly that this whispy green plant was not defenseless...IT BITES...I had to put gloves on becuse touching it was like touching fiberglass. It also felt Jurrasic with its rolled up leaves. Anyway now that it is planted i think it will work fine.

fern.JPG

Very nice