Nature in Tasmania > Plants >  Ferns

One of the most recognisable ferns in the Tasmanian rainforest is the soft tree fern (Dicksonia antarctica) also known as man fern. It is endemic to Australia and is found from Queensland to Tasmania.

The fern grows at 3.5 to 5 cm per year and although it can reach up to 15 m, it usually reaches 3 to 5 m in most Tasmanian rainforests. The trunk of the fern is actually dead organic matter and its hollow core serves as a canal for the roots.

The pith found in the top of the trunk was a food source for Tasmanian Aboriginal people.