Tasmanian tree ferns

lizzytanner

Hi. I'm new to this forum and was wondering if anyone can help. I recently watched a gardening show that made a lot of use of Tasmanian tree ferns. I think they were dickonsia Antarctica or something. There seems to be loads of sellers online but can anyone point me towards a reputable seller, or advise me what I need to be looking out for Many thanks. 

Silver surfer

Welcome to the forums!

Before you decide on size/price...where to buy them....   do you have the right growing conditions?
Where do you live, they will not be successful if winters are very cold.

lizzytanner

Thank you so much for that advice. Really useful and as I'm new to all of this and trying to design my garden on my own from scratch, will apply that advice to other stuff I was planning too. 

lizzytanner

Silver surfer said:

Welcome to the forums!

Before you decide on size/price...where to buy them....   do you have the right growing conditions?
Where do you live, they will not be successful if winters are very cold.

Thank you for the welcome. I live in the north of Ireland in the countryside on top of a quite exposed hill. I was planning the tree fern for the back of the house where it's more sheltered. Weather variable but never extreme highs or lows temperature wise. 

Silver surfer

 I love tree ferns and in our old garden had a few tiny ones  in a damp dell, extremely sheltered and shaded. Looking down on them they looked wonderful with the huge very long fronds.

Now tall ones seem to feature a lot on TV in courtyard town gardens with other exotic plants like bananas.

Hmm! Will one look right on the top of a windswept Irish Hill?
They are not the easiest plant for a beginner.
Partly because even a baby one a ft tall will cost a lot of money.
Quote www....."Tree ferns are slow growing and will only grow about 3-5cm per year. Therefore, when deciding which tree fern to buy it is normally best to go for one that is close to the size that you eventually want it to be. For example, a three foot tree fern is normally at least 36 years old! "
One 6ft tall will set you back £300.00.

They like it sheltered, shaded with moist soil that doesn't dry out.
Wind will shred the leaves..leave it looking tatty for the rest of the year.
In winter you have to protect next years buds/fronds from excessive wet and cold.
In summer many people water the black bare trunk daily.

I hate to dampen your enthusiasm.
Maybe it will be OK....but it is very risky.
Hopefully others can add helpful advice.

Wilderbeast

We have 2 6ft Dicksonia's in our tropical area (yes with bananas too @Silver surfer) they get a little too much sun but have survived the last few years heatwaves, our Paulownia trees will be providing plenty of shade from next year. I do wrap them up from the 1st hard frost with straw stuffed into the crown and material around the top 4 ft (I use breathable building paper I had left over from a job). I feed with a general plant food twice a year and water when it's really hot and I remember 🤣🤣. Ours are doing really well and we are up in East yorks in a very exposed garden so they can survive so hard weather. 

lizzytanner

Thanks @Silversurfer. That's really good food for thought and lots of stuff to consider. We've also loads of ferns that are growing naturally in the hedges etc and I absolutely love them. I love them at the beginning of each spring when they're like coiled little springs ready to burst forth. 
I think maybe my head's been turned by all these gardening programmes! 
I've got loads of plants and shrubs that I've grown from seed or propagated but I think I was just looking for something a bit 'va va voom' and show stopping! 
And now @Wilderbeast, I'm reading your post and thinking hmmmmm...is it a possibility? Will have to do lots of thinking.......