Hardy Tropicals UK

Hi, wonder if anyone can help. My parents have this tree fern but we are not sure what type it is. It seems different to the Dicksonia antarctica's we have. Have a couple of pics hopefully they are clear enough. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I'd hazard a guess at dicksonia fibrosa, but it would be a guess. Someone else will be along to confirm or shoot me down soon!

I think fibrosa has the edge, too.

Thanks for the quick replies. They would really like another one but had no idea what it was so they will be pleased. Had a quick search on the Internet to find out a bit more about them too now I had an idea what it was.

Fibrosa is basically the crappe version of antarctica

Judging from the trunk it is D Fibrosa.
It is a rare plant to find now in the UK has they are hard to export from NewZealand.
In my opinion they are a aesthetically pleasing tree fern and much slimmer trunk, the fronds are normally a much deeper green and shorter than Dicksonia antarctica plus have the sponge like look on the trunk.
I think it will be hard to find an other DFibrosa but worth buying if you can.

Thanks so it may be a bit of a hunt to get another one!! I've always liked it and it seems to grow away quite happily with little looking after.

Taz334 wrote:Thanks so it may be a bit of a hunt to get another one!! I've always liked it and it seems to grow away quite happily with little looking after.

The D Fibrosa is a great plant. I can think of a few nerseries that may be able to source one.

pdid wrote:I'd hazard a guess at dicksonia fibrosa, but it would be a guess. Someone else will be along to confirm or shoot me down soon!

I agree with you.It is D.fibrosa

Greendragon,I disagree with you

Here is my one, pic. taken today.It has never needed more than just a ball of fleece in the crown,to protect on the worst days of winter,inc 2010.The fronds you see are still last years,even after this long winter(with no protection),the second picture shows a crown full of knuckles about to flush.A common D.Antarctica's fronds would be too large to fit in my courtyard.

Certainly looks like a nice Fibrosa. Always fancied trying one, but a rooted one at that size is hard to come by.

Half Hardy, what happened to the trunk of yours?

Yup, I would say Fibrosa. I had a good one with 4ft of trunk, but the Winter of 2009/10 turned it to mush even with wrapping. I would say minus 8c is about it's limit. In Cornwall, sure these will do better, but not inland when Winters such as 2009 remained sub-zero day and night.

Tom2006 wrote:Certainly looks like a nice Fibrosa. Always fancied trying one, but a rooted one at that size is hard to come by.

Half Hardy, what happened to the trunk of yours?

This is the earliest pic. I could find,taken just after it was planted out, in may 2008.Up until then it was kept in a pot.
So must be the differnt growing condition.It was also about the time I started watering with dilute seaweed.

Edit......Looking at the picture now,the thinner part of the trunk was already showing before I planted it.The nursery I bought it from kept it in a greenhouse.I would guess it would have grown,faster but less stocky at this time.

How much trunk as the D Fibrosa grown ?

fern Rob wrote:How much trunk as the D Fibrosa grown ?

Just measured it.Difficult to say exactly,roughly 50cm(19.5 inches).It looks like it will add a decent amount more,this year.

D Fibrosa are a really good fern, I wish I could get a descent sized one.