Dicksonia antarctica is an evergreen Australian tree fern with large fronds and a dark brown trunk – slow growing to 3m/10ft or more. It should be planted in a moisture retentive soil in a cool shaded position out of strong winds. It can also be grown in a cool shaded conservatory if preferred.
Larger specimens are able to stand temperatures as low as -10°C but in very cold areas the crown should be protected with a mulch of bracken or straw. In every case, the tree fern should be watered freely, especially in warm weather.
We always advise feeding antarcticas with a high nitrogen liquid feed — on the fronds and trunk of the fern from mid-spring to mid-summer, in order to encourage green frond growth. This is because it is unable to absorb nutrients at the base of the trunk in the same way as the other Dicksonia varieties – it is the top foot of the tree fern that is alive and able to take in all the goodness it requires.