Alternative to a Tree Fern?

[MinxFox]

I am in Florida and my growing zone is 9a but we did get an ice storm this past winter. A few years ago I bought a tree fern and I kept it potted for a while then I planted it. The winter came and it died. I thought that the Australian tree fern would be tough enough to survive here but I guess not although who knows maybe it didn't get established enough before the cold hit.

Anyways, is there a good hardy alternative to the tree fern that anyone knows about? I am mainly interested in the look of those big, feathery, fern leaves. I was watching Treehouse Masters recently and saw that one lady's yard had huge ferns that looked like tree ferns but they were just regular ferns. I liked the look of those. So is there any kind of giant fern that is hardy? I figure it might die back in winter and come back in the Spring which is fine as long as it comes back!

Tree ferns are just one of those plants I really want...Someday I would like to have a big greenhouse so that I can have tree ferns and other tropical plants that don't do well in our winters.

 

[Rosa moschata]

I'm not familiar with them first-hand, but I remember reading about them as something for my "someday" move to your state. If you google "cold hardy tree fern" you'll find more info, but here's the Dave's Garden article I read a few years back.



http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/450/

 

[MinxFox]

Thanks, that is a good article. Unfortunately I am in the cold part of Florida. It definitely gets below 20 deg F (sometimes as low as 5 deg F) here and I noticed most of them start to die at around 25 deg F.

I do know of local places that sell them. Eventually I might get another tree fern and just bring it inside for the winters. I would like to get a greenhouse. That would help. I also read not too long ago about all kinds of cycads and some of them are pretty neat looking and they are more cold hardy than the tree fern.

 

[flgardengirl]

Lowes had some tree ferns in smaller pots earlier this summer but I didn't buy one because they looked like they hadn't been watering them and I wasn't sure if they would live lol. Most definitely need winter protection. I would love to have a large one in my yard like some I saw in S. FL.