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Alsophila dealbata
Silver fern (Alsophila dealbata) is a medium-sized tree fern from New Zealand, growing up to about 10 metres, recognised by the silver-white undersides of its mature fronds. It is a national symbol, and grows best in well-drained, humus-rich soil, sheltered from wind and frost.
Alsophila dealbata (synonyms Alsophila tricolor and Cyathea dealbata), commonly known as the silver fern or silver tree-fern, or as ponga or punga (from Māori kaponga or ponga), is a species of medium-sized tree fern, endemic to New Zealand. The fern is usually recognisable by the silver-white colour of the under-surface of mature fronds. It is a symbol commonly associated with the country both overseas and by New Zealanders themselves.
Arriving relatively late in New Zealand's history during the Pliocene epoch (around 5.0–1.8 million years ago), the silver fern occurs on the main islands of New Zealand—although absent from the west and south regions of the South Island, on the Chatham Islands to the east, and is also native to Lord Howe Island. It has also become naturalised in Ireland. Its primary habitat is subcanopy areas of drier forests and in open scrub, although it is occasionally found on bush margins and in more open areas, and has been recorded from amongst rushes in a dune slack.
Rough tree fern · Alsophila dregei · Alsophila latebrosa · Spiny Tree Fern · Alsophila Ferns
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Silver fern by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
