n any of numerous usually tropical ferns having a thick woody stem or caudex and a crown of large fronds; found especially in Australia and New Zealand; chiefly of the families Cyatheaceae and Marattiaceae but some from Polypodiaceae
Tree ferns bring tropical Australia to your garden Tree ferns look just like their names describe — tree-sized ferns, with a caudex, or trunk. They’re so iconically tropical in appearance, you can’t help but feel like you’re in a Hawaiian rainforest when standing in their presence. You might also expect to see a dinosaur devouring the delicate fronds, since ferns in general look “primitive,” and an arborescent example would certainly attract a ...
July 30, 2013 - Miami Herald