Australian ferns- Growth

Q: Will Australian tree ferns grow in Atlanta? My niece says she wants one for her birthday.

A: I’ve seen them labeled as a “hardy perennial” when sold at local home improvement stores, but they are only hardy to a few degrees below freezing. They do very well in south Florida. Ask your neice if she would be satisfied with autumn fern or lady fern. Both are quite hardy and perennial in Atlanta.