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Some Ferns You Can Grow This article was provided by The Fern Society of Victoria About Us | Establishing A Fernery | Repotting Ferns | Contact Us HARE'S FOOT FERNS. There are about thirty different Davallias, or hare's foot ferns, and though some of them are a bit tropical, the ones available in nurseries in Victoria (all except Davallia fejeensis and its cultivars) are quite suitable for a fernery here. I wouldn't advise growing them in the ground, but they can be grown on a mound which is very free draining, in hollow log, in a hanging basket or on a slab. They can even be grown in a depression or cleft on rock. They do need free drainage than most ferns. RASP FERNS Another family of fern which grow very well and take some exposure are the Doodias or Rasp ferns, of which there are four in Victoria (more up the coast). They grow in dry situations and take quite a bit of sun. LEATHER FERN The Leather fern, Rumohra adiantiformis, is another fern that docs well in the fernery. This is the fern that florists use widely because it lasts well when picked. It is an extremely tough fern. The usual form sold in nurseries originated in South Africa, where they grow on coastal rocks in full sun. CLUBMOSSES It is a good idea to get some clubmosses, Lycopodium or Selaginellas, for your fernery. They can be planted in the ground under your ferns, where they will spread and form an attractive groundcover of contrasting foliage which comple-ments your ferns and helps prevent weeds. There is a nice golden one called Selaginella kraussiana 'Aurea' which spreads quite rapidly, so much so that it can be a pest in a glasshouse but not in a fernery. TREE FERNS There are a couple of species that don't grow very tall, and so can be grown under a roof about 4 metres or so high. One is called "Highland Lace", Cyathea tomentosis-sima and there are a couple of prostrate ones from New Zealand. If you want to grow Cyathea cooperi C. brownii. C medul1aris, C. robusta or many other Cyatheas, you need to have the top of the fernery open unless you are prepared to cut a hole in the roof and let it out! The other option is to grow them out in your garden under tall, evergreen trees where they can get plenty of water.. There is one tree fern which you can keep low by cutting off the top, discarding the base but replanting the top, and that is Diclsonia antarcuca (Soft tree fern). The best time to do this is in the autumn. Remove most of the fronds at the time so it is not taking too much out of the trunk before it gets going again and then make sure you keep the trunk moist at all times, at least through the following summer. until a next root system has established. They are widely available in nurseries. |