Fern drying out and has black hairs and white dots

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I have a tree fern planted in a pot a few years ago. Lately, I noticed black hairs at the bottom of the stems. The leaves started drying out from the bottom up even though I was watering. Then more recently there are white dots on the leaves. I found on the web that they might be spider mites and I can spray them with a water and rubbing alcohol solution. I will try that. Should I worry about the black hairs? Should I repot the fern?
 

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The black hairs are normal for the lower part of the leaves. You might try a systemic insecticide for the white spots. The picture wasn’t clear enough to confirm mealybug, but the pattern seems right. Alcohol is very drying, which ferns do not like.
 
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I always believed tree ferns should be planted with the root above ground level ?
 
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I think it’s a Blechnum which are sometimes called Dwarf Tree Fern. It isn’t planted very deep, you can see some roots on the surface.
 
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Thanks for that cpp I visualised a small Dicksonia . We can get those here if we look for them. I visited a rainforest when in Tasmania to see my son and his family. The atmosphere and sound of that place will stay with me. It was magical.
1680733219751.png
Dicksonia antarctica
 

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