Dicksonia squarrosa - wheki, rough tree fern  

Beautiful slender trunked species from New Zealand, in coastal to montane forest, often on poor or swampy soils.

Growing to an ultimate height of about 20', fronds up to 7' long with a slightly glaucous green undersurface. 

Dead fronds are semipersistant forming a skirt around the trunk. The old black stipe bases are visible on the

trunk in a very attractive organ-pipe pattern.

It has a stoloniferous habit and will send up offshoots near the base of the trunk or sometimes a few feet away

forming colonies, and can also resprout from dormant adventitious buds lower down in the trunk, so do not

throw it away if the main crown should be destroyed by cold or heat.

For a Dicksonia it grows relatively fast, approximately three inches a year, and is hardy to around

minus four C. Dicksonia squarrosa does not tolerate heat well, so a sheltered, semi shaded position

will suit it best. This species needs copious amounts of moisture and is happiest if it is never

allowed to dry out.

Dicksonia squarrosa growing in Cornwall