Dicksonia squarrosa

wheki, rough tree fern

Dicksonia squarrosa is common throughout New Zealand, except in the coldest of habitats.  It is particularly abundant around streams and other wet areas.

Trunks of Dicksonia squarrosa often arise in close proximity, and the dead orange-brown fronds often give it a scruffy appearance.  However, unlike D. fibrosa, D. squarrosa does not retain a skirt of dead fronds.  The frond stalks of D. squarrosa are bristly-hairy, dark-brown, and comparatively long.  By comparison, the frond stalks of D. fibrosa are shorter and green, and long and green to orange-brown in D. lanata; neither have especially bristly hairs.

Dicksonia squarrosa has buds on its trunk, and it can resprout if the main crown in damaged.  Most “punga” trunks for sale are D. squarrosa. The only denuded tree fern trunks with a reasonable chance of coming back to life are those of D. squarrosa.