Soft Treefern

About

Dicksonia antarctica, commonly known as the soft tree fern, is a species of fern native to eastern Australia, ranging from south-east Queensland to Tasmania. It is commonly grown as an ornamental both in Australia and elsewhere.

How to spot it

=== Stem === Dicksonia antarctica usually grows to about 5 m (16 ft) with a 'trunk' about 30 cm (12 in) diameter, but in rare instances it may reach up to 15 m (49 ft) tall and 2 m (6 ft 7 in) thick. The 'trunk' – in ferns correctly known as a caudex (pl. caudices) – consists of a soft core of pith surrounded by vascular bundles and a much harder ring of tissue that provides support to the plant. Externally the caudex is densely covered in matted brown fibrous roots and the remnant bases of olde

Documented on these trails

Found in

• Aranda Bushland Nature Reserve — Canberra & Namadgi National Park hikes