''Dicksonia youngiae'', common name bristly tree fern, is a

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes exce ...

that comes from cool, sheltered rainforests in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

and

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, Australia. It is found north of the Bellinger River, in New South Wales, and can be seen in the wild at

Nightcap National Park The Nightcap National Park is a national park situated within the Nightcap Range in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. The park was created in April 1983 and is situated north of . The national park is classed by the IUC ...

. Similar to '' D. squarrosa'', it sends up multiple trunks and can grow 4 m high. The species is relatively fast growing and capable of adding 10 cm of growth to its trunk in a single growing season. Trunks often become unstable when they reach around 3 m in height and topple over. If the trunk is in contact with the ground a new plantlet will often grow from the fallen trunk. ''Dicksonia youngiae'' is not fully hardy and will not tolerate more than a few degrees of frost. Bristly tree fern fronds are a glossy, deep green colour. Coarse, reddish hairs densely cover the stipes and

fiddlehead Fiddleheads or fiddlehead greens are the furled fronds of a young fern, harvested for use as a vegetable. Left on the plant, each fiddlehead would unroll into a new frond (circinate vernation). As fiddleheads are harvested early in the sea ...

s. It is intolerant of heat and needs shelter from wind.''Dicksonia youngiae''
Cold-Hardy Tree Ferns.

References

Dicksoniaceae Ferns of Australia Flora of Queensland Flora of New South Wales {{Australia-plant-stub