Friday, January 15, 2010

Mount Kinabalu: fern is a tree after all.




















fern after all is a tree...

Ferns were real showpiece of the lodge.  Most of us are so used to normal ferns, so small that they fit in pots. But these ferns are different. So big, that the character is more of a palm tree! Mount Kinabalu is still keeping these ferns close to its heart. Such a treasure!... we call these Paku Gajah.


This was 3 years ago.

~bangchik
Putrajaya, Malaysia

15 comments:

  1. I have never seen a fern grow so tall. So unusual and beautiful. I can see why they are treasured.

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  2. Fantastic plant I haven´t seen anything so beautiful.

    Have a nice day
    Gunilla

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  3. I love that first picture with the leaves ready to unfurl.

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  4. I love that tree! We don't have anything like this in Norway.

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  5. I grew one at home. I took it home from the jungle of Genting Highland and it lived to be big and beautiful.

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  6. That is a large fern. I've always liked fern because it has an exotic look and feel to it. Great photos.

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  7. Fern is actually a beauty of Nature.

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  8. Lovely big fern, we call them Punga's and we have a big one growing outside our window, its lovely watching a new frond uncurl and grow all feathery. Makes me feel like we are in hte forest instead of the town.

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  9. ...Funny, they really do look like palm trees.
    These look slender and tall. The ones that grows near my place are fat and dense. I guess this must be a different species.

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  10. there's nothing prettier than a fern frond unfurling.

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  11. Awesome! Definitely the biggest fern I've ever seen....

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  12. Beautiful fern - always has its share of admirers:)

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  13. They are monstrous beauties, that is for sure. Lovely.

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  14. In Australia there are lots of large tree ferns and there used to be lots in people's gardens but now they're not so many because they need to be kept damp from the top and that's not practical any more.

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  15. Friends, Bloggers and Gardeners. Thanks for dropping in and leave your comments here...

    Yea, they are big and monstrous. They are also known as Punga as Glennis pointed out. Going up the mountains by car or hiking as Rainfield61 loves to do everyday, these big ferns are common.

    Some has tried to bring them down. With the right shade, soil and moisture they may survive in the valley as Lisa of Ocean Girl has done. At least Catmint has warned us of the special care needed for these ferns... damp from the top!!.. And the lucky ones, may enjoy the sight of fern tree through their window.

    There are small palm trees that look very much like these paku gajah or punga. So James, check further. Ferns must have that curls........


    Cheers, Have a nice weekend!

    ~bangchik

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