Dicksonia squarrosa

RHS Plant Profile

New Zealand tree fern

Synonyms

Cyathea squarrosa

Conservatory Greenhouse Ferns

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A tree fern with slender, erect, trunk-like rhizome to 6m tall, bearing a rosette of broadly deltoid, 2- to 3-pinnate fronds to 1.2m long, their stalks with blackish scales

Position

Full shade, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 20–50 years
Max Spread: 2.5-4 metres
Max Height: 4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Neutral

Position

Full shade Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H3

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Dicksoniaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Dicksonia are evergreen tree ferns, but may be deciduous in cold areas, with a stout erect, trunk-like rhizome clothed in fibrous roots, and bearing a rosette of large, pinnately divided fronds at the apex
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: New Zealand

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow outdoors in a moist but well-drained humus-rich soil. In hot, dry summers water the stem but avoid watering the crown in winter. Will grow without winter protection only in milder areas

Propagation

Propagate by sowing spores as soon as ripe

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
City and courtyard gardens
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Dead or damaged fronds may be removed as necessary

Pests

Generally pest-free outdoors

Diseases

Generally disease-free outdoors