Platycerium Superbum Specimen

Greetings all ..........

Thought you might like to see my p. Superbum. Although we had a little bit of cold damage - he managed to come through 28 degree weather fairly intact. When he replaces the old growth you'll never know anything was wrong. I'm standing in the picture to show size relationship. I feed him "cow tea" as well as very dilute fish emulsion with a little "Peters" added. In the near future I am going to have to take him down and cut nearly a foot of old growth off the back - and then reseat him on a slab. While this is a major pain to do - it is necessary every few years to insure continued vigorous growth!

John

Wow! that is amazing! I wish I could get ahold of something like that over here!

That's huge. How old is it? Looks like it wraps right around the palm trunk.

Greetings .............

This Superbum is just shy of 20 years. He does wrap around the trunk of the palm - which affords nice stability in high wind. He has also endured some frost over the years - and he has continued to flourish. I wish all the Platyceriums were as tolerant as this species!

John

Beautiful John. It's quite a treasure. Thanks for sharing it.

Wow John that's beautiful and it brings back fond memories of a Staghorn Fern I use to have many years ago. Great photo as always!

I've been trying to find a location around here that has some small ones for sale. I want to put one up in a huge oak tree I have out back. I know they are stunning in trees. I'm putting alot of things in trees lately. I just love things planted in unusual places when people are walking through the gardens and go WOW- then you know you've made another great impression on someone.

Do you have a business or something dealing with tropicals? I've just been blown away by your water garden, bromeliads, and now your huge Fern. All I can say about all of them is --WOW!

Day dreaming about plants, ponds, and nature in general.
Happy Gardening, Marian

Hey Marian ..........

Go to "Vines & Climbers" - and look at the threads for Aristolochia Gigantea v. Braziliensis - and Aris. Elegans. These are some of my other "oddities" - about which I'm absolutely crazy!

John

in awe.
thanks for the look in!
:Darren

Thanks for sharing I am new to stags. Here is the only one that I have not sure what the species because it is one of the loves marked down to 0.99 sales and no tag but here is is now as it has grown so much and the leaves have started to divide.

oops forgot to add the picture!!!

Hey Pensi ..........

Your fern appears to be Platycerium Bifurcatum. It's just about time to get it out of that pot - and either mount it on a slab (cork bark, cypress, tree fern fiber, etc.) or put it in a wooden slat basket. Put some very good potting soil around the roots, wrap it in wet sphagnum - and either tie it on a slab or stuff it into a basket. These do well with bright light, a little gentle morning sun, moderate feeding - and nice even moisture. Bifurcatum is very cold tolerant - and will even stand a light, brief frost! They are quick growers - and need to be remounted or potted up periodically. Have fun!

John

Wow I did not expect all of this great imformation that is very nice. How or what do i use to tie it up?

JamesT

Greetings James .............

Most people use nylon monofilament; I use the bailing straps that are used to secure large cartons and boxes for shipping. They used to be made of metal - but nowadays they are nylon or plastic. I like the wide strap because it doesn't cut into the plant and offers good stability. You can tack of staple them.

John

Do you know where I could find a young p. Superbum? Have two stag horns, 1 large, 1 small, but would love to add one of those to my collection of palnts.

No I did but their site does not work anymore so I do not know what a beauty you have there i would love to get one of her pups.........lol

Have a question posted on this forum as to how to get pups from the mother plant without hurting either but have not recieved an answer yet. Will gladly send you one if I can find out to separate them. There is a history behind my Stag Horn, if you would like to, you may check it out on my blog. Would love to pass along a piece of the past to some-one that will appreciate it!!!!

Well I sure would appreciate it I love plants especially brugs but I would love to have one if someone answers your blog and you can get one off.........lol I do not know how so I could not tell you but I would just find a good one and cut it off they do not have much of a root system I understand. What is your blog where do I find it?

James

Well I sure would appreciate it I love plants especially brugs but I would love to have one if someone answers your blog and you can get one off.........lol I do not know how so I could not tell you but I would just find a good one and cut it off they do not have much of a root system I understand. What is your blog where do I find it?

James

Check out my member page, it's listed as "The Alien" in my diary.
Still have no replies to my question on divisions but guess I could chance trying to take one off if I'm carefull, problem with that is it could be weeks before I know whether it's going to work or not.

Camillia 84

The Fern Garden has P.superbum. Do Google for link.

Larry

Camillia ......... and others ........

You can cut off the bifurcatum pups just behind the infertile shield, mound some wet sphagnum on a piece of cedar, cypress, or a basket, and fasten the pup securely. Keep it shady and moist for a month or two - and - voila ......... instant staghorn!

Superbum is frequently available on ebay - at very reasonable prices; search under heading of ferns.

Be prepared to wait a long time for fertile fronds from your superbum; they take many years to grow - but are well worth the wait. Grande will give you the same effect - but is totally intolerant of cold. If you have a greenhouse - this might be the one for you!

John

Thanks!
Found a P. superbum on E-Bay.

pensacolagarden, will try my hand at separating a pup for you, will let you know how it goes & if all is well, will let you know & maybe we can make a trade.
Thanks to all again!

Camillia

What a beautiful plant! Just amazing how easy these are to grow. Do you fertilize your fern? I recently remounted this on onto a 3' square piece of wood and attached it with rubberized wire but I like your idea of using the wide plastic straps. I think I'll be in for another remounting in a year or so if this fern keeps growing at the rate it is, so any helpful ideas on hanging such a large plant would be great.

Thanks for sharing your picture and info. Sue

Hi Sue ...........

Superbum is my favorite of all the staghorns; it's dramatic and a hearty grower. I feed monthly - alternating with "cow tea", fish emulsion, and Peters. I water everything down to approximately 1/3 strength. Remember that this fern grows constantly ............ it does not have a dormant period - so good nutrition is a must for vigorous growth.

When you remount the next time - use a much larger board - and frame the back perimeter with 2x4s of cypress, fir, or other not rotting wood - so that the board is 4 inches from the wall when hanging. If you make your mount large enough you won't have to remount again for years. The infertile shields will curl back around the sides of the mounting as the plant grows.

Hope you can visualize what I am trying to convey!

John

Johntique,
Glad you posted all that info on the superbum.
Said earlier that I found one on E-Bay. Have sunk a cypress post into concrete under the oak in the back yard to mount mine on. Also have a very large piece of cypress that I am going to mount the superbum on & hang it from eye hooks so that I will be able to remount it when needed.
I do need to ask though, do you have to bring your's in during the winter or cover it in any way? Not quite sure I know where Winter Park is, so don't know how cold it gets there.
I have two staghorns but too large to bring in so have to cover them the best I can & even still, sometimes get a little damage from the cold. Don't want to kill the superbum!!!!

Hi Camillia ..........

Winter Park is a suburb of Orlando. You get much colder than we do here. Superbum will either have to be brought inside - or REALLY protected during freezing weather.

We went down to 28 degrees for a couple of hours; my Superbum is beneath a large Phoenix palm ........ it is well protected but still got a little cold damage. I usually cover it if it's going to be that cold, but I just screwed up this year! It does very well down to 30 as long as it doesn't get frosted. That frost is the deal breaker. If this were Grande - it would be history!

John

Thanks Johntique, for the helpful hints on remounting. I feed my Superbum only twice a year with fish emulsion. I always apply it as a foliar spray (since I cannot get very close to the plant). From your recommendation, I will fertilize a bit more often, maybe four times a year.

Sue

Jonhtique,

After reading what you said about the cold temps, hubby & I decided to place hooks in the rafters of our garage to hang ours on during the winter.
Don't have my green house yet so that will have to do--does get quite a bit colder here!
Won't bring it into the house---made that mistake ONE TIME, with the staghorns, next thing we knew had all kinds of critters running loose in the house!!!! LOL