Towering Tree Ferns

Short trip to Mt Wilson - an area about a half hour away, well known for its rich volcanic soil and cold climate gardens. In addition, there are forests of native tree ferns, enormously tall and ancient.

These ferns grow only 2.5cm per year, so these are old in the extreme. And, as an interesting fact, they were used as ballast in ships going from Australia to England in the 19th C. Some enterprising fellow down Cornwall way thought to stick the denuded trunk in the ground - and to his amazement they grew!