The author of the text is Dr. Katarzyna Wróblewska
They live in different environments. They can grow in the undergrowth, among rocks or on tree limbs (epiphytes), many are typically aquatic plants.They are connected by low light requirements - there are few plants that can grow in such a deep shade as some species of ferns.
As they do not form flowers, their main decoration are leaves - usually pinnate, very precisely "lace-cut". Among many species we can find a great variety of their shapes: they can be lanceolate, fan-shaped or four-leaf.
The selection of ferns for apartments and offices changes with the fashion.In addition to those known for a long time, new types of them appear on the market more and more often.Others, after breeding improvement, return to favor. This is the case, for example, with the golden fern Phlebodium aureum. Its new variety 'Blue Star' has a compact habit, while maintaining the characteristic blue-green color of the leaves and easy to grow.
Mikrosorum - a charming novelty
One of the most common newly introduced ferns is the microsorum. It can be found in several species and varieties. Diversifolium microsorum Microsorum diversifolium has glossy, dark green, pinnate leaves that grow from a rhizome covered with dark brown membranous scales.The rhizome often grows over the pot rim and, although it resembles a spider's legs, is an additional plant decoration. This species is easy to cultivate, tolerates light deficiency and too high temperature in winter.
Higher requirements for air temperature and humidity have the banana-leaf microsorum Microsorum musifolium with lanceolate leaves.Due to the characteristic, as if covered with scales, leaf blades are called crocodile fern.Other species of this genus recommended for growing in homes are M icrosorum punctatum and Microsorum scolopendrium.
Epiphytic ferns, naturally growing on the branches of rainforest trees, also have high demands.Due to the lack of soil in such conditions, and therefore limited water intake, they require high air humidity. different species of flatfish (so-called moose horns), e.g. flatfish Platycerium bifurcatum, Platycerium alcicorne and Platycerium willinckii.
They all form two types of leaves: photosynthetic, later drying, and spectacular, overhanging and characteristically bifurcated sporangia leaves.They are the main ornaments of plants.When flat, it is best displayed in suspended baskets or attached to pieces of wood, surrounded by a small amount of substrate for epiphytes, usually based on peat and fern roots.
Green-leaved home beauties
Growing Dawalii
Another type of epiphytic ferns are dawalies, for example the dawalia of Tyermann Humata tyermannii. In addition to the leathery, precisely cut leaves, the rhizomes, densely covered with beige hairs, are a great decoration of these ferns.
Another group of ferns that are wildly gaining in popularity are tree ferns.Their trunks-like structures are made of rhizomes, densely covered with adventitious roots.On their top there is a huge fan of leaves, even 2 m long. The most famous species of such fern is the Tasmanian Dicksonia antarctica, which should overwinter in cool rooms, preferably in winter gardens, but there are many other representatives of this group that are suitable for growing in apartments, e.g.Cyathea daelbata.
