Hi Ian,

What kind of tree ferns are you growing? And how are they making out? Tree ferns have always interested me. 😀

Regards,
Jay

Hi Jay and all
Living on the dry side of New Zealand's South Island most of the tree ferns in our garden are NZ natives but have been fortunate to aquire some exotic tree ferns from garden centres around NZ.
NZ natives which thrive here are Dicksonias Fibrosa and Squarrosa.
The fibrosas are very sturdy plants with thick trunks.The Squarrosas are more slender and are apparently a bit difficult to overwinter in the UK which is surprising as we get pretty hard frosts but then the days do warm up pretty well later which could be the difference.
Other NZ t/fs I have outside are Cyathea Smithii which produces the most fronds in a season,the NZ Silver fern Cyathea Dealbata and a semi prostrate t/f Cyathea Colensoi which is very similar to Smithii but has underground trunk and produces fronds from base also.Have also planted out the extremely thin trunked Cyathea Cunninghamii but yet to experience their first winter here,possibly a bit tender.
My exotics which handle our weather are Dicksonia Antarctica from Aus which is reputedly the hardiest of all t/fs although I think Fibrosa is equally hardy and also this season have planted out C.Australis and Dicksonia Sellowiana from South America yet to exp winter.

Re Tree ferns also have other exotics outside in pots late Spring to Autumn,Cyathea Dregei from South Africa which needs to be kept constantly wet and Cyathea Brownii from Aus Lord Howe Island where the Kentia Palms come from.Oops also forgot the NZ Cyathea Medullaris but these are also a bit tender so will probably bring in my new plants for winter.Sometimes they survive winters outside but several previous plants of this species have all succumbed.

Hi Ianmc!
Do you have any pics that you can post of your plants? I sure would like to see some of those tree ferns!

Sorry Aaron.No digital.There are heaps of T/F pix in the Yahoo Group Tree Ferns together with lots of gen.
Cheers: Ian