Tree ferns can add a wonderful tropical look to your garden and create a jungle look. However, they do come at a price. They grow very slowly and it takes many years to grow a large plant with a good size trunk. Harvesting is also regulated which limits the availability in nurseries. Hence the larger the specimen the more expensive.
Tree ferns may look like trees when they grow tall but the trunks are actually made up of packed roots and rhizomes. Their native home is in New Zealand where they can grow to 5m tall.
The variety we normally see in UK gardens are Dicksonia Antarctica or Tasmanian tree fern. It prefers a shady spot in the garden and its important to keep the trunk moist. Its quite hardy and will withstand cold temperatures for short periods. However, its best to provide winter protection especially as you don’t want to lose a mature specimen which may have cost hundreds of pounds. One way to protect the plant is to pack straw around the top of the crown and wrap well with horticultural fleece. Of course they can also be grown in pots which would allow you to move them to a sheltered area in the winter.
Dicksonia Antarctica