Some of my plants are better than others about recognizing when they've got a good thing going and trying to take advantage of it. My Cyrtomium falcatum, which has perhaps heard about the baby Cyrtomiums I'm trying to grow from spores, has now begun producing spores of its own, though they're not ready for anything yet. The oldest spores are only just now beginning to turn brown:
This came as sort of a surprise when I first noticed it, though in retrospect I suppose it shouldn't have been: the plant has been with me for a very long time now (Two years and two months), and in that time has been up-potted twice, from a four-inch pot to a six-inch pot to an eight-inch pot. I don't think about this particular plant often because it doesn't give me much trouble, but while I wasn't paying attention, it got a lot bigger.
So I guess I kind of have to agree with all the people who say that holly ferns are the way to go, if you have to have a fern and it has to be indoors.
Will I try to grow these spores into ferns, when they're ready? Haven't decided yet. It's possible that by the time the previous group is mature enough to transplant, I'll realize that I already have way more of them than I could ever possibly need, want, or get rid of, and don't need more. Also the first batch is taking forever to do anything, which is annoying. Even if I do need more Cyrtomiums, I might not actually need them badly enough to want to fiddle with a container full of vermiculite for two years (or however long it's going to turn out to be). But that decision doesn't have to be made yet.
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3 comments:
Hoho, Mr. S. - you're going to need the same thing I need - a house stretcher (any good home workshop tinkerers out there?). Oh, can I raise pups, cuttings, offshoots, seeds, spores! About this time of the year, when the outside treasures have to come in, I realize that unless I learn to sleep hanging from the ceiling like a bat and let plants take over the bed as well as every other surface I am in big trouble. Good luck with the ferns, they'll colonize everything not already taken.
Looking good, Mr. S.! And just remember, ferns make great gifts!
That is a beautiful plant. (Must resist...)
I have a Polypodium aureum; I can't remember how I got it, but I didn't buy it. It likes to spread it self around, esp. in the paphs. Propagation on your part might just mean transplanting when you find them.
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