If you have lots of shade but there are too many deer in your neighborhood to grow hostas and other perennial plants, rely on ferns to deliver welcome color and texture, especially when blended with other flowers. In most cases, these ferns tend to have a treelike design which comprises of a thick and large trunk. The growing tips of many plants will produce vigorous new plants when cut and rooted properly. The quickest way to grow more ferns is through division, preferably. How to grow ferns from spores brooklyn botanic garden. How many of you are in proud possession of an enormous boston fern and where, may i ask, do you overwinter it. Typically grows in a fountainlike clump to 2 tall and features leathery, lanceshaped, evergreen green at christmas time as the common name suggests fronds. Lowmaintenance ferns appear in an incredible array of textures and colors. An outdoor fern plant is perfect for the shady woodland garden and we have the largest hardy ferns collection in the world. Ferns start growth very early in the spring, and retain their delicate leafy foliage until.
While not as showy as some others, this fern makes up for it with its neat habit, easy culture, and its lustrous, nearly evergreen leaves. The christmas fern is a particularly accommodating garden plant. This document is enh1286, one of a series of the environmental horticulture department, ufifas extension. It is adapted to a wide range of conditions, from very dry to moist, and is hardy to zone 3. The sori are sometimes covered with a membrane called an indusium, which will lift up when the spores are ripe. Ferns are an excellent texture in the shade garden for background, contrast, and or just for their beautiful arching fronds. Its a long and tricky process to grow ferns from spores, and ive not succeeded in the pastprobably because i. The christmas fern gets its name because the evergreen fronds have been used in winter floral arrangements. Ferns are perfect for shade gardens and woodland areas. Christmas fern is always green especially in the winter. Purchase christmas fern seeds from the wild seed project shop here and read our blog on native ferns for your garden here. Water thoroughly when the top inch or so of soil feels dry to the touch. Best ferns for the garden and for indoors plant delights. Enh1286 cultural guidelines for commercial production of boston fern nephrolepsis exaltata bostoniensis 1bill schall, heqiang huo, and jianjun chen2 1.
They provide airy foliage and texture for the home gardener, both as indoor and outdoor plants. Fern spore propagation how to propagate a fern plant. Some very experienced growers use 50% or greater pumice or. Christmas fern polystichum acrostichoides is a deciduous evergreen fern that grows in usda plant hardiness zones 39. Cultural guidelines for commercial production of boston. Growing ferns from spores australian plant information. Lets learn more about christmas ferns and how to grow them inside and out. A neighbor gave me a start of this nice looking fern a few years ago. Gumbo limbo bursera simaurubra jerusalem thorn parkinsonia aculeata. Woodland ferns may grow quite poorly if subjected to hot afternoon sun. Use a higher proportion of turface than it says in the video. Generally speaking, spores from mostly all ferns have the same basic requirements to grow moisture, warmth, and light. Some kinds of ferns grow their spores on modified leaves, that look very different from their other.
The spores of the christmas fern tend to mature in june. Christmas cactus is a tropical type plant, not quite as drought tolerant as its desert relatives and, in fact, may drop flower buds if the soil gets too dry. Christmas fern is very easy to establish and grow where conditions are right. This native fern has glossy, deepgreen, lanceshaped fronds that emerge upright, then arch gently and eventually lay down to cover the ground as they mature. Growing ferns and the accumulated detritus of past sterile fronds form a dense covering mass over the soil surface. One can also propagate by collecting the fronds but thats too much work.
Though often used as a groundcover, it is a clumping fern, not forming a continuous, undifferentiated carpet the way some ferns. This manual is a simple summary of our work to date and aims to provide easy to follow notes to assist others with the small scale propagation of a number of native tree species. My own pair of nephrolepsis exaltata you have to love that name grew so large and luxurious over summer that i couldnt possibly find winter quarters for them. The adventitious nature of colony forming species naturally lend themselves to this method. When these germinate they grow into small heartshaped plants known as prothalli. You can inexpensively multiply your houseplant collection by propagating the plants you already have. Propagating ferns is easiest by division but they can also be grown from their spores. A fern propagation report 2005 2009 john rugis introduction ive been experimenting with fern propagation for nearly four years with some success. Christmas ferns grow on shaded, north or eastfacing slopes in humusrich soil.
The lacelike leaves of ferns fascinate for many reasons. This is often damaging to wild populations and makes it difficult for nurseries who propagate plants to compete. Works well as an accent in shaded beds and borders. Growing ferns inside your home is a real challenge. And remember, a fern nearby makes every perennial that blooms just as beautiful as an arrangement in a vase. Propagating polystichum or christmas fern should be done every 34 years by digging up the clump and dividing the crown.
They combine well with hostas and other perennials that do well in shade. This mass helps to stabilize the underlying soil and prevent or lessen erosion. Trying your hand at christmas fern care indoor care, as well as growing christmas fern outdoors, is a great way to enjoy unique interest year round. How to care for a christmas fern plant polystichum acrostichoides.
The beginnings of this interest can be traced back to six months before that when we relocated to our present bush clad section in maraetai, south auckland. This evergreen fern has hairy brown leaf stems and is one of the first to emerge in spring. You can propagate ferns by division in fall or spring. Tree ferns are slow growers, gaining only about 1 inch in height per year. Hay scented fern is a rugged species that can cover large expanses of dry, well lighted areas. Todea barbara king fern, trunk to 3 m, fronds to 2. A clumping fern that can be planted en masse for use as a groundcover that maintains its vibrant color well into winter. And once established, christmas fern is quite drought tolerant. Though cuttings are a very commonly used method of plant propagation, it cannot be applied to the asparagus fern. The georgia native plant society is pleased to announce that its members have selected christmas fern polystichum acrostichoides as the societys 2008 plant of the year. I hope you enjoy this short video about ferns and how to propagate them. In the right spot, it can be a good, evergreen border or accent plant. It is one of the most common ferns in eastern north america, being found in moist and shady habitats in woodlands, stream banks and rocky slopes. We offer many exotic varieties sun ferns, rare ferns and the best north american native ferns, most grown from our own nursery and gardencollected spores.
How to grow ferns in your garden brooklyn botanic garden. A distinctive characteristic of the fern is the decreased fertile pinnae size. Increasing demand for ferns means that more knowledge of propagation techniques be developed to guarantee the continuous supply of these plants from commercial ornamental companies. If your fern no longer produces leaves, its leaves begin growing smaller than they usually do, or the center of the fern is dead, its time to divide the fern.
Growing ferns from spores a basic practical guide the british. Ferns are an ancient plant family over 300 million years old. Polystichum acrostichoides christmas fern plantfacts. Fern foliage is great for greenery in flower arrangements. In vitro tissue culture techniques show a certain promise with respect to a future increase in production. In warm climates, such as usda zones 9 through 11, boston fern can grow up to 7 feet tall outdoors. Often used in christmas floral arrangements because it is still attractive in december. The shiny leaves are evergreen and form neat clumps.
The scaly stem rhizome of the christmas fern is pale brown, stout, and subterranean. Planting instructions for polystichum christmas fern. Cyathea australis rough tree fern, grows to 20 m high. With some basic knowledge, you can cultivate a wide variety of ferns at home. Ferns do not flower but reproduce sexually from spores. Small scale propagation of native trees a simple guide and. Follow these steps to put more green in your gardenand your wallet. Plant database lady bird johnson wildflower center. Even if your fern is not displaying any of these telltale. It requires cool, moist, welldrained soil in shade. Christmas forever green fern fiddle head fern edible.
Purchase christmas fern seeds from the wild seed project shop here and read our blog on native ferns. Plant the soft shield fern close to the border or pathway to best enjoy its fine, delicate details. The recommended way to propagate new asparagus plants is with the use of seeds or by dividing the plants, as suggested by online plant resource floridata. However, unlike most ferns in the polystichum genus, christmas fern has numerous smaller crowns surrounding the central crown which are easily divided as a method for effortless propagation.
Theyre also easy to propagate, although making more ferns takes a little time and patience. I taped this from the tv, and do not own any of this. Like all ferns, christmas ferns reproduce by spores sori found on the undersides of the fronds. Christmas fern is among the most common ferns in the southeast, and its evergreen fronds provide four seasons of interest and grace woods and shady hillsides throughout the state of georgia. Learn how to harvest or acquire spores, how to create the best growing medium, and how to ward off pests and care for your mature plants. There are two distinct stages of the fern life cycle.
You dont have to be a botanist to be successful at propagating ferns from spores. But, the craze seems to have passed, and the christmas fern still is one of the most commonly seen and recognizable wild ferns in the eastern woodlands. Christmas ferns add a few fronds for festive holiday. Polystichum acrostichoides, commonly denominated christmas fern, is a perennial, evergreen fern native to eastern north america, from nova scotia west to minnesota and south to florida and eastern texas. There are more hardy fern varieties available today than ever before. This is a segment from the martha stewart show, an american broadcast. A lowgrowing fern native to eastern north america with dark green, leathery fronds that form a fountainlike foliage crown that broadens with age. When purchasing ferns, ask that they are nursery propagated. Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable. Adaptable and hardy, ferns can thrive indoors in many ways.
Like most ferns they prefer a highly organic friable soil in partial to full shade settings and grow up to. If you have one bushy fern, you can easily grow new baby ferns from a single frond clipping with the right humid environment and a good amount of time and care. Polystichum acrostichoides christmas fern from north creek. By the 1930s, one author reported it was becoming harder to find in the wild. Size fronds can grow between 30 91 cm long and 5 12 cm wide. Many species of ferns can be propagated by using rhizome divisions. Easytogrow ferns make a wonderful addition to a garden or houseplant collection. Here are the proper techniques for each type of propagation.
The plants 1 to 2foot fronds are dependably evergreenhence the common namebut they lie flat on the ground through the winter. Christmas fern polystichum acrostichoides wild seed. Mature plants produce spores on the underside of the leaves. For more in depth information, the following book includes an encyclopedia section detailing features and cultural requirements for about 50 ferns for the home garden.
Fern propagation details ecotype this is meant primarily for experimentally derived protocols, and is a description of where the seed that was tested came from. There are over 12,000 species in almost all parts of the world. From large to small, theyre great for your shady areas, but there are some that dont mind a sunny spot. Polystichum acrostichoides, commonly called christmas fern, is a missouri native fern which occurs in both dry and moist wooded slopes, moist banks and ravines.