King Fern

[Walter John]

I planted this guy in the forest at the back, going well, on it's second new branch. It's loving all these showers we are getting lately. Anyone have these growing at home ?

[ThunderSRQ]

If yours is Angiopteris evecta -- I've got one planted out (a 3-gallon that I planted about 6 months ago). The record cold winter we just had did not impact it at all but I haven't seen much growth yet (it's not liking the weather we're having here -- this is the hottest/dryest time of year right before the rainy season starts). The pictures of this fern in its mature size are quite awesome!

Tim

[tropicbreeze]

Mine is still small, but has high aspirations.

[edbrown_III]

I grew one in Jax for 20 years planted in the ground in a large green house --- it was bonsaied though on 2 foot of trunk -- it got rot and I lost it a few years ago --- I still mourn it every day -- I hope to try again very beautiful primitive ferns --- they show the plant during the preamble for the "Big Bang theory" sit com!

Best wishes.

Ed

[Tyrone]

I've got one. I used to have two but one rotted away. I really can't keep enough humidity to grow these as large as they do in the east. Hot easterly winds do them in.

Best regards

Tyrone

[aussiearoids]

Had them growing wild along the edges of the road around Whyanbeel .

Some massive ones on the road to Cape Tribulation .

And they grow in creeks on Fraser Island in a few feet of water.

[alan.oz]

I grow my King fern in a shady spot surrounded by Chamaedoreas.

Likes plenty of water in summer but need to keep on the dry side in our cool winters.

I read somewhere this is one of the most ancient plant species - goes back 400 million years in the fossil record.

Saw the dinosaurs come and go.

[tropicbreeze]

Had them growing wild along the edges of the road around Whyanbeel .

Some massive ones on the road to Cape Tribulation .

And they grow in creeks on Fraser Island in a few feet of water.

Are you sure the ones on Frazer Island in the water weren't Acrostichum speciosum?

[aussiearoids]

YES I saw both locations in the same year early in my stay in QLD .

My link

scroll down to bottom of link

[Mr Cycad]

Nice one Wal. It's going to look awesome right in there.

Boy these one's grow fast! I've planted a few at my place also. Lost a few too last year in the dry.

Below is a photo of one I planted out on the edge of a clearing.

Cheers, Kurt

[ariscott]

The only place I can grow any tree fern is in the shadehouse. It is like tropical rainforest in there... always hot and humid. Tried to plant them out on the garden bed in protected spot... and they always die!! Maybe one day... when I have more protected spot from that dry wind...

Regards, Ari

[tropicbreeze]

Aussiearoids, Acrostichum speciosum likes to sit in deepish water, we have a lot of it here. But I didn't know Angiopteris evecta would like the same.

Ari, my first one fell victim to feral pigs. They kept burying it while I was away. After 3 transplants and about the 10th burial I never found it again. Was surprised it had persisted so long after so many attacks.

The present one I've had about 6 months, and (hopefully) the feral pig situation is under control, especially after a few of them stayed behind to help some of my trees grow

[Geoff]

too cold in most of southern California for this genus

[Tyrone]

My two were planted alongside my fishpond and often would be under water a bit. But over time the soil kind of buried the one that rotted away. Maybe that's what did it in.

Tyrone

[Eric in Orlando]

We have a couple growing well here. They have zero tolerance for dryness. Love a shady, moist/wet location. Suprisingly they suffered no damage this past cold winter.