Platycerium - Staghorn Fern
(Platycer'ium)
DESCRIPTION: These are tender, tropical Ferns that must be grown in a greenhouse. They are found wild in tropical Africa, Asia, Malaya, Madagascar, Java, and Australia. They look quite different from the average Fern. They have two kinds of fronds, barren and fertile. The fertile (spore-bearing) fronds are from 18 inches to 3 feet long, flat, narrow at the base and then spread out widely at the tips, where they are divided deeply giving a look resembling antlers of a stag or elk, thus the name Staghorn Fern. These fronds are pendulous and produce spores in large, uneven patches. The base from which these fronds hang are the barren fronds. They are thin, almost round leaves that are green when young, but as they age, turn brown and papery. These fronds lie flat against the surface from which they grow (which would be trunks and branches of trees as these Ferns are epiphytal), collecting food material and supporting the plant. Dead leaves and organic material collect behind them and provide the Fern with nourishment. Their thin, threadlike roots also cling to the branches of the trees and absorb their moisture from the water that trickles down the trunks. Small green buds that grow at irregular spots on the roots, eventually expand and develop new plants.
POTTING: Most of these Ferns require a minimum winter temperature of 55 degrees, but one kind, P. bifurcatum (alcicorne), which is a native to Australia, can be grown in a greenhouse with a minimum winter temperature of 45 degrees. They need a light, porous soil that can hold moisture in well. The best compost consists of equal parts of orchid peat (osmunda fiber) and finely chopped sphagnum moss. A small amount of crushed charcoal, which prevents the compost from becoming sour, and some half-decayed oak leaves should be added. There are several different ways to cultivate these Ferns. In a greenhouse large slabs of cork bark can be attached to the wall to form pockets, the compost is then inserted behind the cork and the plants, placed on the surface of the compost, are held in place by wooden pegs. They can also be grown on pieces of tree trunk, which are held up in a vertical position, either by inserting them in the soil in the floor of the greenhouse or in large flowerpots. The plants are held in position by a little compost being placed behind the barren or clasping fronds. First they are fixed to the trunk with an encircling band of thin wire, but later on they'll attach and support themselves. When growing these plants in pots, a slab of cork bark, or a piece or tree branch, preferably Cedar, Redwood, Cypress, or some other long-lasting kind, which has a length that is twice the depth of the pot, is placed upright in the pot. The pot should almost be filled up with crocks to provide excellent drainage and hold the bark or branch in place. The plant is then attached to the bark or branch in the way described. The barren fronds will eventually conceal the support completely from view. The soil must be kept moist throughout the entire year. During the summer, water is applied in profusion, but in the winter months, just as the soil is approaching dryness. After they have been attached to their support, these Ferns shouldn’t be disturbed. A top-dressing of fresh compost should be given every spring to keep them growing actively. They need shade from strong sunlight and a humid atmosphere, which can be maintained by wetting the benches and floor of the greenhouse whenever needed.
PROPAGATION: All kinds, except P. grande, produce small rooted Ferns from their bases. These may be detached and planted in a pan of sifted soil compost. They are held in place by pegging them down with pieces of wire bent to hairpin shape or with wooden pegs. The soil is kept moist and when they're large enough, they're fixed to their permanent spots as previously described. These Ferns may also be raised from spores, but this method is rarely used (except for P. grande, the kind that doesn't produce small plants), because it is a much slower process. The spores must be fully ripe. To test them for ripeness, a frond is gathered when the spores are brown and placed in a paper bag. This is hung in a position with good ventilation for a few days. The spores that are found at the bottom of the bag are ripe enough to plant. A deep pan or pot is almost filled up with crocks over which a layer of rough peat or moss is placed. The rest of the space is filled with peat moss and finely chopped sphagnum moss. The spores are sprinkled on top of the soil and are kept moist by setting the pot in a saucer of water. Growth is very slow, but when they're large enough to handle, they are lifted carefully and placed 2 inches apart in deep pans filled with similar compost, where they are kept moist until they're large enough to fix to their permanent positions.
VARIETIES: For the cool greenhouse - P. bifurcatum (alcicorne). For the hothouse - P. grande; P. Willinckii; P. Stemaria (aethiopicum).
P. Bifurcatum (alicorne)
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