Fern ‘Dicksonia antarctica’ – 9cm Pot
- Tree fern with long green fronds
- Good for shady gardens
- Deciduous in cold areas
- RHS Award of Garden Merit
With its tall trunk and long ferny fronds, popular tree fern Dicksonia antarctica adds a tropical, jungly feel to any garden, growing well in shade. Although it looks exotic, it is surprisingly tough and easy to grow. Dicksonia antarctica holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
How you will receive your plants:
Selected by our team of experts and sent from our nursery, you will receive your plant in a 9cm pot, ready to plant out.
Planting tips:
Plant the trunk approximately 10cm deep in humus-rich soil and stake it to provide support. Water frequently and thoroughly for at least the first 6 months after planting while the plant is getting established.
Feed in spring with a granular fertilizer around the base of the plant. Water regularly, wetting the trunk of the plant.
Protect the plant in winter by packing straw into the crown (where the leaves emerge from the trunk) and wrapping the top 50cm of the plant in several layers of horticultural fleece.
When to plant and what to expect at different times of the year
You can plant hardy shrubs, trees and perennials at any time of the year avoiding the two extremes of heat and cold. During the summer months when it is hot and dry the need for watering becomes crucial to aid successful establishment and in the winter when the soil is frozen the plants will not be in active growth either above or below ground and risk getting cold damage. The same is true on the stage or growth you can expect your plants to be delivered in and this will be directly related to the time of year and the season.
When ordering through the year, here’s a summary of what to expect when receiving your plants:
Spring Months: Plants supplied in spring will be starting to show signs of active growth above and below ground.
Summer Months: Plants supplied in the late summer will be more advanced in size and flower stage
Autumn Months: In the autumn plants will be changing colour, showing signs of leaf colour breakdown and be preparing to shut down for winter.
Winter Months: Plants ordered and supplied during the winter months will be dormant and therefore may not be showing growth above the soil level or consist of bare branches with no leaves or bare roots with no soil.
These are all perfectly normal and natural for these types of plants growing in the northern hemisphere. All will still have a very healthy root system that can be planted when the weather is favourable by keeping the new soil level equal to the pot level and therefore not covering the crown of the plant at all. Planting during the autumn and winter months will allow for early establishment in the season and a bigger and better display throughout the main growing season. For more information on our plant sizes click here.
