Tree Fern
Dicksonia antarctica
Ferns Difficulty: Moderate
📖 About this plant
The iconic hardy tree fern with a thick, fibrous, dark brown trunk topped by a crown of large, graceful arching fronds. One of the oldest plant lineages on Earth, dating back over 300 million years. Its prehistoric appearance brings a dramatic, Jurassic-era atmosphere to gardens and large indoor spaces.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
☀️
Light
Partial shade to bright indirect (3-5 hrs)
💧
Water
Every 2-3 days
💨
Humidity
High (60-80%)
🌡️
Temperature
15-25°C
🪴
Soil
Rich, moist, well-draining, humus-heavy loamy soil; keep crown consistently moist
🧪
Fertilizer
Liquid seaweed fertilizer every 2-3 weeks during growing season; slow-release pellets in spring
🌐 Common Names
HI
Hindi
ट्री फर्न
BN
Bengali
ট্রি ফার্ন
MR
Marathi
ट्री फर्न
TE
Telugu
ట్రీ ఫెర్న్
TA
Tamil
ட்ரீ ஃபெர்ன்
GU
Gujarati
ટ્રી ફર્ન
UR
Urdu
ٹری فرن
KN
Kannada
ಟ್ರೀ ಫರ್ನ್
OR
Odia
ଟ୍ରୀ ଫର୍ନ
ML
Malayalam
ട്രീ ഫേൺ
PA
Punjabi
ਟਰੀ ਫਰਨ
AS
Assamese
ট্ৰী ফাৰ্ন
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Southeastern Australia, including Tasmania and Victoria; also found in New Zealand
- 📏 Max height
- 4-6 m (outdoors); 1-2 m in containers over many years
- 📐 Spread
- 120-180 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Non-flowering
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Non-flowering (produces spores)
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Slow
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic to humans and pets
- 🌱 Propagation
- Division of offsets; spore propagation (very slow); trunk sections can regrow roots
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic to humans and pets
Common issues
- Trunk rot from overwatering
- Frost damage on fronds
- Scale insects
💡 Care tips
- Tall prehistoric fern with a trunk-like rhizome
- Water the trunk as well as the soil to keep it moist
- Protect from strong winds and direct afternoon sun
- Very slow-growing but can reach impressive heights over decades
🪴 Add to My Plants
One click — added instantly. Watering every 3 days, fertilizing every 18 days.
