With massive fronds creating a luxuriously green canopy in the understory of Australian forests, tree ferns are a familiar sight on many long drives or bushwalks. But how much do you really know about ...

Q. I was given an Australian tree fern that spent several years in a pot. I trimmed the brown fronds and left it in the pot in a bright spot. It got water now and then. After a hard rain it died back ...

• The Australian tree fern (Cyathea cooperi) is a large tropical fern that forms a trunk. In the wild, a mature tree’s medium to dark green fronds can grow 5 to 8 feet long, but the fronds will be ...

With massive fronds creating a luxuriously green canopy in the understory of Australian forests, tree ferns are a familiar sight on many long drives or bushwalks. But how much do you really know about ...

A: I don't want to totally discourage you, but this plant is best outdoors. It tends to sulk in a container if you're not prompt about watering. If the soil dries, the fronds quickly brown. I gave up ...

Jane is in Kinglake West, an hour north-west of Melbourne, visiting a family-run fern nursery that feels a bit like a rainforest. The site covers 5 acres (2ha) and about a third of that is taken up by ...