Rough tree fern
Cyathea australis

Family: Cyatheaceae

What it is like

A large tree fern. It can grow 8-12 m high. It has a large woody trunk which can be 1 m across. It is dark and rough. The fronds are 4 m long and can be divided 2 or 3 times. The fronds curve over and are dark green. The underside of the fronds are pale green. The bases of the stipes are rough. It has shorter, finer fronds than Cyathea cooperi. The spore bodies or sori are located at the fork of the veins on the underside of the fronds. It does not have the dead fronds hanging around the trunk.

There are about 800 Cyathea species.

Where it is found

It is a warm temperate to subtropical plant. It grows from central Queensland to Tasmania, in Australia. It is a hardy plant. It grows in rainforest and open dry forest. It needs sufficient moisture at the roots. It suits hardiness zones 8-11. Melbourne Botanical Gardens. Hobart Botanical Gardens. Tasmania Herbarium. Arboretum Tasmania.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia (country/location of origin), Tasmania (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The young fiddle heads or young leaves need to be used before they unroll. They can be roasted or boiled then eaten. The terminal bud or heart of the fern is eaten raw or cooked for its starch. It was the core of the upper trunks from which starch was extracted.

Edible parts

Heart, fronds, leaves, starch

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from spores.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Alsophila australis R. Brown; Cyathea australis (R. Br.)Domin; Alsophila loddigesii Kunze; Cyathea loddigesii (Kuntze)Domin; Alsophila australis var. glauca F.M. Bail.; Cyathea australis var. glauca (F.M. Bail.) Domin.; Cyathea brownii var. glauca (F.M. Bail.)