Plants diurnal

Soft Tree Fern

Alsophila smithii

Known as the kātote, the Soft Tree Fern is the elegant, cold-hardy soul of the New Zealand bush. Its distinctive skirt of fallen fronds creates a bustling high-rise apartment for backyard biodiversity.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Trunk height 2–8 meters (6.5–26 feet); fronds 1.5–3 meters (5–10 feet) long

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Colors

Bright emerald green fronds, pale brown to straw-colored scales, and a chestnut-brown trunk

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Key Features

Persistent 'skirt' of dead brown fronds hanging around the trunk
Soft, non-prickly texture on the midribs
Pale brown, papery scales at the base of the fronds
Horizontal or slightly drooping frond habit

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern diurnal

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Peak hours Daylight hours for photosynthesis; most growth occurs during spring and summer mornings.

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Season October-March

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Diet Autotrophic; produces its own energy through photosynthesis using sunlight, water, and minerals absorbed from the soil.

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Habitat Shaded forest interiors, damp gullies, and sheltered suburban gardens with high humidity.

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Behavior

The Soft Tree Fern, or kātote, is unique among New Zealand’s tree ferns for its cold tolerance and its 'messy' but functional aesthetic. Unlike other species that drop their old fronds cleanly, the kātote retains a thick skirt of dead foliage. This is not just for show; this skirt provides a layer of insulation for the trunk against frost and creates a complex microhabitat for various invertebrates and fungi.

In your backyard ecosystem, the kātote acts as a slow-moving architectural giant. It expands its crown by unfurling tightly coiled fronds, known as koru, usually during the warmer months. It is less aggressive in its growth than the Rough Tree Fern, making it a peaceful neighbor for smaller understory plants and a preferred nesting or sheltering spot for small forest birds seeking protection from the wind.

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Camera Tips

To capture the lifecycle of a Soft Tree Fern, you should switch your camera from motion-trigger to Time Lapse mode. Because plants don't move fast enough to trigger PIR sensors, setting a 4-hour interval will allow you to create a stunning video of the 'koru' (coiled fronds) uncurling over several weeks. This is one of the most iconic sights in New Zealand nature and is perfectly suited for a fixed backyard camera.

Position your camera approximately 5 feet off the ground, angled slightly upward into the center of the crown. This 'worm's eye view' highlights the symmetry of the fronds and captures the delicate brown scales that give the species its name. If you are placing the camera in a very shaded area, ensure your device's infrared or low-light settings are optimized, as the dense canopy of a tree fern can create very dark conditions even during the middle of the day.

Don't ignore the 'skirt' of dead fronds! This area is a hotspot for animal activity. If you want to see who lives in your fern, place a camera focused on the trunk about 3 feet away. You are likely to capture Pīwakawaka (Fantails) or Silvereyes darting into the dead fronds to hunt for spiders and insects. For these shots, use a high-speed trigger setting to catch the fast movement of the birds against the static brown backdrop of the dead foliage.

During the winter, keep an eye on your camera lens. The Soft Tree Fern thrives in damp, humid environments, which can lead to lens fogging or condensation. Using a small rain shield or placing the camera slightly under the overhang of the fern's own fronds can help keep your shots clear while providing an intimate look at the plant's structure during the rainy season.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Soft Tree Fern.

Silver Fern

Features a bright white/silver underside on mature fronds and lacks the thick 'skirt' of dead foliage.

Rough Tree Fern

Has a much darker, almost black trunk and the stalks are covered in prickly, rough protrusions rather than soft scales.

Wheki

The trunk is covered in dark, peg-like remains of old fronds and it has a much stiffer, coarser texture than the kātote.

Frequently Asked Questions

As plants, Soft Tree Ferns are 'active' during daylight hours when they perform photosynthesis. However, their most dramatic movement—the unfurling of new fronds—is a slow, continuous process that happens 24/7 during the spring and summer growth bursts.

Soft Tree Ferns love moisture and shade. To encourage them, plant them in a spot protected from strong winds and harsh afternoon sun. Mulching the base well and ensuring the soil remains damp will help them thrive and eventually attract birds that use the fronds for shelter.

They don't 'eat' in the animal sense; they absorb water and nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorus) through their roots and use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide into energy.

Yes, they are very popular in New Zealand landscaping, especially in cooler, wetter regions like Wellington, the South Island, and higher altitude gardens where other tree ferns might struggle with the cold.

The easiest way is to look at the underside of the frond: the Silver Fern (Alsophila dealbata) has a distinctive white/silver underside, while the Soft Tree Fern is light green. Additionally, the Soft Tree Fern keeps its dead fronds as a 'skirt,' while the Silver Fern usually sheds them.

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