Japanese Fern Trees, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Despite the name, Japanese fern tree comes from Africa, Madagascar and South Asia, and it is a compact, evergreen shade tree that does well in SW Florida heat. It grows slowly to about 25 ft with fine, glossy, fern-like leaves and a dense, rounded crown. We deliver and plant 25 and 45 gallon trees.
- Light:
- Full sun to part shade
- Water:
- Moderate; drought tolerance improves once established
- Salt:
- Low to moderate; keep it out of direct salt spray
Japanese Fern Tree
Ask for a photo of the actual plant we would deliver.
Japanese Fern Tree sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Japanese Fern Tree | 25 Gallon, 45 Gallon |
Japanese Fern Tree in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- About 25 ft tall (20 to 30 ft) and 15 to 20 ft wide, reached slowly
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate; drought tolerance improves once established
- Salt tolerance
- Low to moderate; keep it out of direct salt spray
- Cold tolerance
- Frost tender: leaves and twigs can burn near 30°F; coastal Lee is usually fine, cover young trees inland on frost nights
- Growth rate
- Slow to moderate
- Florida native
- No, native to Africa, Madagascar, India and Sri Lanka
- Botanical name
- Filicium decipiens
Where Japanese Fern Tree works in a SW Florida yard
Japanese fern tree gives dense, even shade without the size of an oak: plant it near a patio or lanai, in a front-yard island, or in parking islands. The fine, glossy leaves make a lacy canopy and the crown holds a rounded shape. Mondo grass or liriope suits the ground beneath, and ixora or croton adds color at its feet.
- Small-yard shade tree
- Patio and lanai shade
- Parking islands and medians
- Tidy evergreen specimen
How our crew plants it
Plant at the same depth as the container, in a hole 2 to 3 times as wide as the root ball and at least 12 ft from the house and pool. Stake a 25 or 45 gallon tree loosely for its first year, mulch 3 inches deep off the trunk and water in.
Lee and Collier allow extra watering on new plantings, then taper.
Care after planting
- Water young trees deeply through the first year, then once or twice a week on your assigned days in the dry season.
- Feed in spring and early fall with a slow-release tree and shrub fertilizer with micronutrients, and skip nitrogen and phosphorus from June 1 to September 30 in Lee County, Naples and Marco Island.
- Prune only dead or crossing branches, and cover young trees on frost nights if you are inland.
Japanese Fern Tree questions we hear
How big does a Japanese fern tree get?+
Usually about 25 ft tall with a rounded crown 15 to 20 ft wide, reached slowly. That makes it a good fit for smaller yards, patios and parking islands where a live oak would be too big. Plant it at least 12 ft from the house and pool.
Is Japanese fern tree really from Japan?+
No. Despite the name, it comes from Africa, Madagascar, India and Sri Lanka, which is why it likes SW Florida's warmth and dislikes hard frost. It is not a fern either; the leaves just look like fern fronds.
Can Japanese fern tree handle cold and salt?+
It tolerates a little salt drift but is frost tender, so a hard freeze can burn the leaves on young trees. Frost is mostly an inland worry, so cover small trees on frost nights if you are in Lehigh Acres or North Fort Myers, and keep it out of direct Gulf spray.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Japanese Fern Tree
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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See it in 3D first
We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.