Here's a delicious one for you on this lovely Friday morning. So delicious that the slugs ate an entire frond. Grrr.
Anyway, this is Asplenium bulbiferum "Maori Princess". And it's one of the odder ferns I've seen. I bought it from <Fibrex Nurseries at the end of April (and if you're out in the Cotswolds and happen to like ferns, or indeed like ferns and happen to be out in the Cotswolds, I highly recommend a visit).
"Maori Princess" is unusual - its fronds actually look a bit Adiantum-like, perhaps crossed with a Polystichum. But what marks it out as so different is the little nubbins on a lot of the fronds. It's called the Hen and Chicken fern, as those nubbins, or bulbils as they are actually called, will eventually sprout a couple of fronds before falling off and forming new plants - so much easier than propagating by spores.
So I'm quite keen to try growing more of these. It's going to be fiddly of course - isn't all propagation? But it will be much sought-after at tropical plant meets when the swaps come out!
According to Wikipedia its fronds are edible, so in case I do end up with a surplus, do I have any Kiwi readers who can suggest some recipes?
Anyway, this is Asplenium bulbiferum "Maori Princess". And it's one of the odder ferns I've seen. I bought it from <Fibrex Nurseries at the end of April (and if you're out in the Cotswolds and happen to like ferns, or indeed like ferns and happen to be out in the Cotswolds, I highly recommend a visit).
"Maori Princess" is unusual - its fronds actually look a bit Adiantum-like, perhaps crossed with a Polystichum. But what marks it out as so different is the little nubbins on a lot of the fronds. It's called the Hen and Chicken fern, as those nubbins, or bulbils as they are actually called, will eventually sprout a couple of fronds before falling off and forming new plants - so much easier than propagating by spores.
So I'm quite keen to try growing more of these. It's going to be fiddly of course - isn't all propagation? But it will be much sought-after at tropical plant meets when the swaps come out!
According to Wikipedia its fronds are edible, so in case I do end up with a surplus, do I have any Kiwi readers who can suggest some recipes?
0 comments:
Post a Comment