Blechnum gibbum - Dwarf Fijian Tree Fern

i so love watching the fronds on ferns opening. here its a sure sign on spring time..:-)

I'm so glad it'll be opening some new fronds very soon. I let it dry out too much over the last couple of months and it has lost some fronds. It likes wet soil. I killed many Fijian tree fern in the past from lack of water. This dwarf tree fern I've had for 8 years. I really don't want to loose it.

even in a Welsh summer i have to water my tree ferns.

Yes, most tree ferns are native to warm-temperate or tropical rainforests. They love the water. The only tree fern here which tolerates quite a bit of drought is the Australian tree fern. It grows very large, though.

i think mine are new zealand tree ferns. i think they are so architectural and love the way they look in my garden.

Yes, most likely it's Dicksonia antarctica. It's one of the hardiest tree ferns. I don't think the Black New Zealand tree fern (Cyathea medullaris) would grow there, as it's too tender to cold (it's my favorite large tree fern in the world!). It's native to the northern sections of the North Island of New Zealand. It can grow to more than 20m (65ft) tall.

there is a beautiful black fern at a local garden in a fern house. its fronds are huge but delicate with short black hairs all over them

It sounds like NZ Black tree fern.

Here's some information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyathea_medullaris

yes that looks like it...

It's a spectacular tree fern. It's too large for many small urban gardens.

There's 3 or 4 growing in the Botanical Building, the giant lath house located in Balboa Park. Those tree ferns are more than 40ft (13m) tall. Not sure how old they are, though (I do know they've been there for more than 25 years).

Lovely, but it does remind me of a tarantula......!!

That's funny! Do you have wild tarantulas there? ...like we have here.

no we dont...so there is some advantage of the frosts...lol

Sandra:

Tarantulas live where it gets cold. They live in most areas of California (usually the hills)...generally, not in urban areas, though.

i dont think would like wales...their hair would get too wet...lol

That's maybe true. They typically like spring - fall without any or little rain.

No thanks God we do not, I have a phobia.....

Tarantulas are some of the friendliest spiders. Contrary to what they show on tv, they are docile creatures. Although, I would not want to hold one.

Docile they may be, they run ....then I run and fast!!

LOL! That's funny! :>)