Overview
Cyathea australis is a tree fern forming a single erect fibrous trunk up to 5-12 m (16-39 ft) tall and 15-25 cm (6-10 in) thick, crowned by a spreading rosette of large fronds. The arching bipinnate fronds reach 2-4 m (6.5-13 ft) long, dark green above and paler beneath, carried on rough dark stipes covered in stiff scattered scales and short spines that make the leaf bases harsh to the touch. Old frond bases persist as a ragged collar below the crown or fall to leave oval scars on the trunk. New fronds unfurl from a central crozier through the warmer months. Spore-bearing structures form in rounded clusters on the undersides of fertile fronds. It grows in moist gullies, fern gullies, and the understorey of wet forest in eastern Australia, often beside streams. More tolerant of sun and cold than many tree ferns, it still needs constant moisture at the roots and crown and scorches in dry wind or drought. It is slow-growing, adding only a few centimetres of trunk a year.
Native Range
Native to eastern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and the highlands of the southeast, in moist forest gullies, stream banks, and sheltered slopes.Suggested Uses
Grown in shaded moist gardens, fern gullies, and courtyards as a structural feature, and in rainforest-style and streamside plantings. Its cold tolerance suits cooler temperate gardens where other tree ferns struggle.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height16' - 39'
Width/Spread8' - 16'
Bloom Information
As a fern, Cyathea australis does not flower. It reproduces by spores borne in rounded clusters on the undersides of mature fronds, released mainly in the warmer months. New fronds unfurl from the trunk apex through spring and summer.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
Dark green above, paler beneathGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 2-6 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight