Horned Platycerium

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

For lovers of northern exoticism who dream of planting wide, branchy deer antlers on the wall, nature has presented an excellent green replacement in the form of plants from the Platitzerium genus. The plant's leaf shape is a green copy of such a dream. And the purchase of a relic is much cheaper

Old-timers of planet Earth

The world of old-timers of the Earth - ferns is amazing. For four hundred million years of being on the planet, they managed to acquire such qualities as resistance to waterlogging, ecological plasticity, which help to survive in the changing climatic conditions on the planet.

Their ability to produce a huge amount of spores has turned the fern into an ubiquitous plant that can be found in the most unfavorable places for life on the planet. They grow in water bodies (lakes, rivers, swamps); on the sides of dusty roads and in forests; climb rocks, clinging to crevasses; manage to cling to the walls of houses; litter rural lands. But their favorite place is the warm and damp tropics.

Rod Platiterium

About two dozen species of epiphytic ferns born in the tropics include the genus

Platizerium (Platycerium). For the original shape of the leaves, he has earned other names - “

Flathorn" or"

Antler ».

Although, ferns do not have real leaves, such as are usually called "leaves" in other plants by biologists. What we commonly refer to as a fern leaf is a system of branches arranged in a single plane. Therefore, rather, to call the green of the ferns "flat", or a short and beautiful word "frond".

Platycerium plots come in different shapes. Some are similar to deer antlers not only in shape, but also in their leathery green surface. Others - sterile shortened, act as fasteners with which the fern clings to the support. Indeed, in nature, Platiterium grows on trees.

Varieties

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Platycerium two-forked (Platycerium bifurcatum) or deer-horned - grows up to 1 meter. In nature, it lives on the branches or trunks of trees. To simulate the natural conditions in the premises, the fern is planted on a plastic flower pot cut from the side, or on a so-called block, which can be a thick tree bark, a piece of a tree trunk.

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Platitzerium large (Platycerium grande) - similar to the previous species, but grows up to two meters.

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Platycerium losehorny (Platycerium alcicorne) - has a great love of moisture, tolerates lower temperatures. It has drooping, spore-bearing leaves. Sterile leaves dry out over time and turn brown.

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Platiserium Ridley (Platycerium ridleyi) - spore-bearing leaves like horns. Whole sessile sterile leaves dry brown. Nestling tightly against the trunk, they create niches convenient for ants to live in.

Growing

As an indoor ornamental plant, a fern with flattened deer horns is grown.

The fern is attached with raffia (fiber from the leaves of the palm of the same name) to a piece of bark, which is covered with sphagnum (marsh moss). This "structure" is placed in a hanging basket or flower pot filled with soil. It is prepared from a mixture of sphagnum, fibrous peat, leaf humus or pine needles. Be sure to arrange high-quality drainage by laying the bottom of the tank with gravel or other similar material.

For the fern, moisture is very important, which can be maintained, including by spraying. In the spring, once a month, watering is combined with nitrogen fertilization.

The plant loves light places, but without direct sunlight, so shading is required in spring and summer. From excessive illumination, the color of the leaves turns pale.

Below plus 15 degrees, the air temperature should not surround the fern.

May be affected by scabies.

Reproduction

The fern itself gives offspring in the form of young plants that develop at the base of sterile leaves. They are carefully separated and deposited.