Silver Fern (Cyathea dealbata)
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta
Class: Pteridopsida
Order: Cyatheales
Family: Cyatheaceae
Genus: Cyathea
Subgenus: Cyathea
Section: Alsophila
Species: C. dealbata
Binomial name Cyathea dealbata
Common name: Silver fern, Kaponga.
Cyathea dealbata, or the silver tree fern or silver fern is a species of medium-sized tree fern, endemic to New Zealand. It is a symbol commonly associated with the country both overseas and by New Zealanders themselves. This fern is known to grow to heights of 10 m or more (though it occasionally takes a rare creeping form). The crown is dense, and the fronds tend to be about 4 m long and have a silver-white colouration on the undersides. This distinctive silver colouration has made them useful for laying along tracks for night walking. The scales are a dark brown and are often twisted and glossy.
The silver fern has long been used as a logo on dairy products and was trademarked as early as 1885.
Use by sporting teams from New ZealandIt is a logo for many other organisations.
Silver fern leaves appear on the Coat of arms of New Zealand.
Many New Zealanders get a tattoo of a Silver Fern, as a statement of being from New Zealand.
Some alternative flags for New Zealand, such as the silver fern flag,
A juvenile silver fern
The underside of a frond of Cyathea dealbata, the Silver Fern
Previous page: Black Tree Fern (Cyathea medullaris)
Next page: Cyathea kermadecensis (Kermadec Tree Fern)