I saw this small fern yesterday growing on one of the large rocks bordering a bed, (actually there are 2).
It caught my attention because the unfurling front reminded me of the tree fern. It is about 4 inches wide. I don't have anything that looks like this, and wonder what type it might be
I decided to take a picture of on frond, then a picture of the tree fern frond. They look a lot alike, but then...there is a bunch of them that all look alike.
tree fern frond tip
other than spores underneath the fern leaves, I've no idea how one would grow from it, nor how they got on the rock which have been there for 2 years.
This message was edited Nov 2, 2009 12:19 PM
Hi Randy, it does look like a young Sphaeropteris / Cyathea, Australian Tree Fern.
Here they commonly appear in gardens near to where adult plants are growing.
If your adult plants are dropping spores, that is likely the source of the young ferns.
It was loaded with spores a couple of months ago, and now that I think on it, I had left a couple of cut branches where they are growing. Interesting how both ferns are growing epiphyticaly or however ya spell it - on those rocks. I wonder if I can remove it and plant it with out killing it.
There are none growing anywhere else. Interesting lesson though. Might intentially put spores on those rocks. There must be something about them that gets them started. I've never had any fern grow from a spore before...How? you have time to give me a short lesson?
Hey Randy! Depending on how cold it gets there, you could leave it in place.
The plant probably started to grow in moss on the rock. Instead of ripping the fern off of the rock, maybe try placing the rock containing the fern in a large pot, and cultivating it in a warmer place for the colder months. If you wish to save the plant, being careful with the juvenile for the first season may help preserve it.
Okay, I agree. I was looking at it today, and thought why remove it when it seems happy, and it's the only place they've appeared in the whole garden. Are spores good for a period of time?
If you collected fresh spores, you could refrigerate them (never freeze) for several months. Say, Fall till Spring.
Cut the fertile frond when it shows that most of the sporangia are getting ripe (brown). Lay the frond, spore side down on a large sheet of paper (I use a couple sheets of the local news, spread out to hold the whole leaf.); leave it sit in a warm (not hot or cold) area for a couple days, collect the spores that drop, save or plant them.
aah...I wish I'd have known that a couple months ago. I did notice that they had turned a orangy brown underneath..I'd never noticed it before...I was trimming the older fronds, and actually threw them down on the ground where the two are growing now. I must have knocked them off as I dragged the fronds to the mulch pile.
I looked today and they seem spore free now.
What makes them fertile?
Don't know what makes the fronds fertile. Maturity & Nature!
I know nothing about the spore story...I guess I'll be wanting to figure that one out. I noticed that the large fern is putting out two fronds per side now.
Randy, have you worked out which tree fern it is yet? In any case, tree ferns produce millions of spores most of which fall into hostile environments and come to nothing. Falling into soil is often the end for them, probably eaten up by micro organisms. If they fall on a porous surface which holds moisture the spores have a better chance of germinating. For their next stage (I gave a brief outline on the other thread) they need lots of water.
Don't you just love it, that is mother nature at her best! Do you know what kind of rock it is? We have phosphate rocks, they used to mine it around here, and they have holes in them sort of like your rocks. Obviously your baby fern likes the excellent drainage it has there.
I saw some lovely ATF's on a local garden tour a few weeks ago and now I am raring to try and grow one myself.
I have some pictures from a restaurant that has a beautiful inner garden with a winding stream and lots of ferns growing on rocks. I always wanted to have a similar look in my pond but wasn't sure how to get the fern to attach to the rock. I wonder if this is the best way, have it grow there from the beginning. I also have a log halfway submerged in my pond, to help lower the PH, and wonder if the fern spores would survive on it? I had one Aussie tree fern in a pot but it died, I think I watered it too much.
It is a porous rock. It was called Oklahoma rock. As a matter of fact after I had cut the fronds, one my friends came to visit, and we had a discussion about the spores, because they were so prominent rusty color, and she wanted me to try and grow some. I told her I had no clue, and tossed those branches by the rock, and most likely part of it resting on the rocks. Next time I see spores like that I'm going to put a bunch on the rocks!
Tropicbreeze
I believe that you were correct in calling it the Australis, and so that's what it's being deemed now. I'll go read the other thread...
Hey Randy, the modern name for your tree fern is Sphaeropteris cooperi, Australian Tree Fern.
What are you trying to find out about the spores?
Randy, without the two side by side it'll always be difficult to decide, but as you've said before, it does look more like australis, Rough Tree Fern, than cooperi, Lacy Tree Fern.
I've grown from spores before, but mostly Platycerium superbum rather than the tree ferns. Tree ferns just tend to come up by themselves, but the same principles apply for raising them. The simple way is to use a brick (non-glazed) or pottery (non-glazed, sterilised with boiling water. You can sprinkle the spores on them and keep wrapped in a plastic bag to retain moisture. Don't place in direct sunlight or allow to over heat. Because of our constant ambient high temperatures that's my biggest problem.
The prothalli will appear as a green coating on the growing surface. At that stage I mist them regularly to keep them wet but don't allow the water to stagnate. When the sporophyte grows to a size you can handle you can prick it out and plant in a pot.
Although they like it wet they also like good drainage. I find they can be handled/replanted at a small size provided you maintain high humidity and don't let them over heat.
So that is what happened to the baby I sent home from HI. It seemed to like it here in the spring but began to fail as the temps rose. Guess you need to get them past the baby stage before the heat hits.
That's right Ardesia. But like with all plants, different species have different tolerances.
Heat might have been what did in mine as well, I got it in the spring when it is very hot. Maybe I should try another one now as we are entering the cooler season.
But watch your humidity levels in the cooler (dry) season. Lack of humidity can be a real killer as well, air humidity that is.
We are still in the 80% humidity area but it does get as low as 40% in Jan/Feb. Oh good, an excuse to go to the nursery ;)
That's the time to leave a couple of bowls of water around the plant, you can create a micro-climate more suitable to the plant. I've got a small Lacy Tree Fern which has come through the heat and occasional dry air. But it's under a low tree canopy with wind blocked by bamboo and is irrigated twice a day, morning and evening. The leaf litter on the ground gives off moisture through the day. The plant is responding well in that micro-climate even though temperatures have been getting to 40C.
Here, tree ferns tend to pop up readily on moss covered surfaces.
What's conducive to moss growth is usually also conducive to fern growth. They're both taking advantage of the same conditions.
Hi Tropicbreeze! I was thinking the moss itself might aid in spore germination.
In our rainforests, ferns and many understory plants grow easily in a mossy environment. Once the mossy environment is disturbed, they don't grow so well. We even have native mushrooms that only grow on moss.
Here they are growing on mossy ground at the Volcano VIllage Lodge.
How often do the ferns produce the spores...there are none on it now. I want to be ready next time.
I was thinking of keeping the fern on the rock, and setting the rock in and aquarium I have in the green house, that way I can keep it humid.
It seems the younger the tree ferns are, the more difficult they are to get the conditions right, not too hot, not too cold, not too wet, not too dry and figuring that one out is tough especially in these sub tropical climates. Once they make it past 2 years, they are bit less fussy.
Yeah Dave, it's probably a bit of a "horse and cart" issue. As long as ambient humidity is maintained and there's enough moisture for the prothalli to successfully complete their sexual reproduction stage then they both prosper.
Ardesia, they do like that type of environment. It's good if you can replicate it.
Randy, intervals between spore production probably vary with species and conditions. Many years ago I got my father some tree ferns although they were Dicksonias. From memory they seemed to spore continuously throughout the year. Cytheas I can't remember. A friend has one big enough that it has spored, I'll check and see if it's still going. Logic would suggest they do it before the onset of the wet season to give the spores the best chance. Then again, they produce millions of them with only the likelihood of a few of them succeeding. Perhaps the lengthening day is their signal to start developing the fertile fronds so that maturity of the spores will coincide with the wet season.
I'll keep my eyes open.. I'd not seen the spores so prominent or dark before this year.
This is my little one. It'll be a while before it starts to really show the distinctive Lacy Tree Fern characteristics.
That's cool. Did you leave it where it grew?
No, I cheated on this. It's a bought one.
I have another that I brought back from Hawaii 3 yers ago, it's been slow going on it..but it's still kicking...the trunk is about 3 inches long.
Is it a Cibotium Randy?
I'm not sure. They were wrapped up in a bag at the airport ready to go for plant buyers like me. This is a picture of it in 2006,
blurry,
It is Cibotium glaucum, Hapu'u.
okay...thanks..
