How fast do Dicksonia antarctica tree ferns grow in the UK - May 2024 update

It's been nearly two years since the last update on my Dicksonia antarctica tree fern growth rate.  As I've said before I purchased it in 2002 as a tiny baby, planted it in the rear garden, and have tracked it's progress as it's slowly developed a trunk amd the crown of fronds has enlarged.

It's now May 15th 2024 and the clear trunk from soil level to the level of the newly unfurling fronds of this years flush is 63in / 160cm.  So, another 2.5in / 6cm of extension.  That's nearly 3in /7.5cm a year on average, rather more than the books describe.  It does seem to be slowing down a little.  Here it is in my little pool area in the rear garden.

More than tall enough to sit under, a wish I expressed earlier in the saga!

At a current cost of about £350 for a 5ft trunk specimen I think my £2 purchase has been a good investment.

They're only babies but they'll soon grow up

I've been buying plants again.  Despite having a fairly full garden I can never resist the temptation to add something new for the summer to autumn display.  Four plants in particular, a banana, a colocasia, and two begonias, all obtained as plugs from Craig at Grow Paradise, a little exotic plant nursery he runs from his garden in Dorset.  Cossetted babies at the moment, they'll soon grow to hopefully become garden worthy specimens.

Starting with the Colocasia, this is the cultivar 'Pink China', reckoned to be one of the hardiest and capable of overwintering in the ground throughout most of lowland UK.

For this year I'll restrict it to container growing and overwinter inside but, assuming it pups, next year will be the acid hardiness test.

Much the same can be said for Musa sikkimensis 'Bengal Tiger'.  Frost tender but reputedly root hardy this is another one for a container this year - probably with 'Pink China' in the same 50L pot I have handy.

Hopefully this will grow to resemble this:

Early indications are certainly proming as colour is already appearing after the sunshine of the last few days.

The next two may or may not be hardy.  Begonia luxurians I''ve grown and lost before but it makes such a statement plant with its' palmate leaves that it's definitely worth the effort to find a semi shaded spot for it to develop from this...

...to this.

The second begonia is 'Sterling Moon'.  This is reputed to be a cold hardy cultivar which dies back in autumn and overwinters as tubers in the same way as Beginia grandis ssp evansiana..  Whether it can cope with cool wet Plymouth winters is another matter and I won't be trying to overwinter it outside until I have enough to risk a plant.  In the meantime it can summer outside on a small, shaded shelving unit with other tender begonias and a few houseplants.

I couldn't resist the patterning on the foliage and it's supposed to get better as it grows larger.

It will be interesting to see these develop.

Some Garden Views

All taken May 6th 2024 and all taken in our rear garden.  There's a lot of plants still to emerge - the Hedychiums especially - but even so it's looking quite full for early May given the cold wet spring we've had so far.  As always, click to embiggen.

Chaemerops humilis, European fan palm - 24 years in the ground - and Cordyline 'Red Star'.  They work well together,

A view of the little pool area with my one and only Dicksonia antarctica tree fern and Camellia 'Anticipation' still in flower.  The fern was planted 20+ years ago as a little baby and I wondered if I would ever be able to sit in it's shade.  I can!

Looking back across the little pool (which needs topping up) towards the house the Trachycarpus fortunei fan palm and Camellia 'Anticipation' dominate at the moment but Tetrapanax papyrifera will soon fill in the gap where you can see Maria's workshop.

And here's the understory  with Persicaria 'Red Dragon' and Acanthus mollis filling the floor.

Looking back towards the house from what was a patio but is now filled with vegetable pots.  Musa basjoo is beginning to develop some decent leaves on the right while Acca sellowiana hides the area in front of the living room window.

Looking back from the other end of Maria's workshop we have Chaemerops humilis on the right, the Musa basjoo in the center, underplanted with Acer palmatum dissectum, in the centre and a stainless steel shelving set on the left that I fill with seasonal interest for the summer.  This includes some of my houseplants.