Cutting a 10-Foot Man Fern: Top Will Regrow, Bottom Won't

A gardener wants to cut a 10-ft man fern (Dicksonia antarctica) to 5 ft, transplant the top, and know if fronds will regrow on the bottom half.

Outcome

Tom explained the "trunk" is dead material. If cut at 5 ft with no side shoots, the top can be replanted but the bottom won't produce fronds. If side shoots exist, new plants may form there.

Tree fern trunks don't regenerate foliage; only the crown or side shoots grow.