Compare plants.

Australian tree fern and Hāpuʻu ʻiʻi: growing conditions and wildlife benefits.

COMMON CHOICE Australian tree fern Sphaeropteris cooperi	NATIVE ALTERNATIVE Hāpuʻu ʻiʻi Cibotium menziesii
	GO NATIVE
Native range
Eastern Australia	Hawaiian native range: Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, Hawaiʻi.See state guides
Sunlight
Sun to shade, with shelter	Shade
Soil moisture
Moist, well-drained soil	Average moisture
Mature height
15–50 ft	Over 3 ft
Mature spread
10–12 ft	8–15+ ft
USDA hardiness zones
8–11	Choose by island, elevation, and rainfall.
Season of interest
Evergreen fern foliage	Year-round fern foliage
Garden & wildlife value
Wildlife relationships are not detailed in the linked profile.	Large native fronds add understory structure and help protect shaded soil.
Growing notes
A fast-growing tree fern, also sold as Cyathea cooperi. Needs protection from drying winds.	A large tree fern for moist, sheltered sites; plant nursery-grown stock and allow for the full frond span.
Growing information	Growing information

Sizes describe the species; individual cultivars can differ.