Platycerium (Staghorn) Ferns As Epiphytes
Home Intro. 18 Species Site Search About Links Of Interest Site Map Epiphytes Contact Nursery Forum Cultivating Site Map Platycerium Ferns Catalogue USA Catalogue International Platycerium Cultivation Platycerium Fern Pest Site/Catalogue Update Copyright Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions
Prehistoric Platycerium Fern Cultivation , Group 3
The Platycerium Ferns Contained Within This Group Are - Platycerium Fern Wallichii And Platycerium Fern Quadridichotomum .
Both Of These Prehistoric Platycerium Ferns Enter Into A Dormancy Period , Which Begins In Late Fall And Will Last Until Early Spring . The Last Growth Produced Before Entering Dormancy Is A Set Of Fertile Fronds , For Platycerium Fern Quadridichotomum And Shield Fronds For Platy. Fern Wallichii . While The Species Are In Dormancy Allow Them To Completely Dry Back Before The Next Watering . During Their Growing Season , Early Spring Through Late Fall It Is A Different Story . For Platycerium Fern Wallichii The Species Produces Its Shield Fronds And Last Years Fertile Fronds Prepares Its Spore Patches For The Release Of Its Spores By Ripening The Patches And Turning Them Brown . At This Point This Species Must Be Allowed To Dry Back Quite Well , But Not Bone Before The Next Watering , Because The Lower Portion Of Its Shield Fronds Can Retain Water For Quite Some Time .
Platycerium Fern Quadridichotomum Requires The Same Cultivation As Platy. Fern Wallichii . The Upper And Lower Portions , Of This Species Shield Fronds , Will Not Retain Or Store Water Like The Lower Portion Of Platycerium Fern Wallichii's Shield Fronds . The Shield And Fertile Fronds Are Produced In Early Spring , But The Shield Fronds (Die) In Mid Fall And The Fertile Fronds Will Last Until Early Fall , Of The Following Season . Allow Platy. Fern Quadridichotomum To Dry Back Completely , When Producing Its Shield And Fertile Fronds , But Keep The Species Slightly Damp After The Fertile Fronds Have Matured .
Neither Platycerium Ferns Can Tolerate Hot , Dry Temperatures . Find A Cultivating Area That Has A Year Round Temperature Of Around (70) Degrees And Give The Species Filtered Sun Light Between 30% And 50% . During The Winter Season The Fertile Fronds Can Begin To Curl , Which Can Be Caused By Either Of These Two Factors , Low Temperatures Or Natural Moisture Loss , From The Species Fertile Fronds . To Prevent The Low Temperatures , From Occurring , Maintain A Steady And Constant Temperature Around The Species . When The Fertile Fronds Begin To Curl During The Winter Season And Your Normal Watering Habit Will Not Cause Them To Uncurl DO NOT Attempt To Give The Species More Water , Because The Fronds Have Completed Their Life Cycle . Keep Your Normal Watering Pattern And Concentrate More On Temperature , Air Movement And Humidity .
Excellent Air Movement And Humidity Are Required For These Two Prehistoric Fern Species . Air Movement Must Be Gentle And Consistent And Keep The Humidity Level No Lower Than 65% During The Winter Season And Between 65% And 75% During The Summer Season .
During The Winter Season When The Platycerium Ferns Are In Their Dormancy Period Refrain From Feeding The Species , Because They Are Not Growing And Don't Have Any Means Of Utilizing The Food . Remember , The Species Are Not Growing And Feeding Them During This Period Could Do Harm .
Platycerium Fern Quadridichotomum And Wallichii Are Truly A Platyceriumnist Type Of Platycerium Fern And Are A Little Hard To Cultivate If The Proper Cultivation Is Not Provided , But Like Most Things Within Life They Are Hard Also Until You Learn What It Takes To Perform The Function . The Cultivation Of These Two Species And Other Platycerium Ferns Can Be Learned If You Are Willing To Put Forth The Effort To Learn .
Madagascar Tropicals A Platycerium Fern Nursery
Altadena , California -Los Angeles County , USA (626)-791-3600
© Madagascar Tropicals