POTD: Staghorn Fern
This is a crazy looking thing. A pilot’s wife has a plant & animal sanctuary behind her house, two blocks west. A platycerium bifurcatum, it is also called an Elkhorn Fern. ~Vic
Picture of the Day
This is a crazy looking thing. A pilot’s wife has a plant & animal sanctuary behind her house, two blocks west. A platycerium bifurcatum, it is also called an Elkhorn Fern. ~Vic
Picture of the Day
November 12, 2022 at 10:54 AM
It’s been years since I’ve seen one.
November 12, 2022 at 11:09 AM
They appear to be rather rare.
November 12, 2022 at 11:01 AM
They are very common here. Nearly every yard has one growing somewhere. You do realize these will grow to the size of a small Volkswagen? When they get too big, just break them into chunks. Each Chunk is a new plant that will grow independent of the mother ship. Bigger ones (say, the size of a riding lawnmower) can catch $600-900 in the plant market. Ours is about the size of an orbiting satellite and still growing.
November 12, 2022 at 11:15 AM
Ha. And, I just remarked, above, about rarity.
A Volkswagen-sized plant…that would never occur to me.
The propagation does not surprise me. Onions & garlic function the same way.
Good heavens! Lucrative plant, too. I am assuming it is just ornamental? It doesn’t serve as an edible? Does it flower?
November 12, 2022 at 1:24 PM
Never seen a flower. In spite of their size, they are very light. They love being fertilized by banana peels. They require no dirt, so they can grow on the side of a tree.
November 12, 2022 at 2:17 PM
Now I know why this one was hanging in a frame. Never thought of banana peels as fertilizer but, technically, WE can be fertilizer.💀☠️💩
November 12, 2022 at 11:53 AM
The one I had grew up (but nothing like the size of a Volkswagen) then one day it was gone… just gone – – –
Never knew what happened to it.
November 12, 2022 at 1:04 PM
Goodness! Fern thievery!
November 12, 2022 at 6:23 PM
I did not know they were so valuable either – perhaps that’s why?
November 12, 2022 at 2:13 PM
Possibly.
November 12, 2022 at 1:25 PM
That has been known to happen. Break it up and sell chunks for $30-50 each.
November 16, 2022 at 4:22 PM
Wow.
November 12, 2022 at 4:38 PM
An Animal sanctuary! Something I always thought I wanted to do.
November 12, 2022 at 7:21 PM
Here, you can get an agricultural exemption if you declare some of your property as a sanctuary. It cuts taxes. As she is a widow, now, every little bit helps. Her sanctuary is mostly small creatures…fish, birds, cats, dogs… I haven’t seen any chickens or ducks, yet.
November 13, 2022 at 11:12 AM
Those things can live in her house, the others would be a tad mess inside 🙂
November 13, 2022 at 11:14 AM
Oh, yeah…
Are you feeling better, still?
November 13, 2022 at 11:16 AM
So far so good
November 13, 2022 at 12:19 PM
Yay! 💜💜💜
November 13, 2022 at 7:03 PM
Yes so far
November 16, 2022 at 3:32 PM
Can safely say I’ve never seen one of those before!
November 16, 2022 at 4:28 PM
I hadn’t either until I stumbled across hers. According to “Earth Spins”, above, they are common in Florida.
November 16, 2022 at 10:52 PM
It looks like an animal with a plant growing out of it.
November 17, 2022 at 12:45 AM
It is an odd thing. The guy, above, says they are very common in Florida…and a bit expensive.
November 17, 2022 at 9:04 AM
Yea…it was odd…I will say that about it.
November 20, 2022 at 5:15 PM
Fascinating and the protective cage shows tenacity!
November 20, 2022 at 12:19 PM
I guess it is to stop theft. These things appear to be coveted.