Bird's Nest Fern
at its normal place near ground orchid
enjoying the shade of papaya plant.
birdsnest fern
(asplenium nidus)
also known as pokok sakat in my hometown
perched high on the wall, for better viewing and photographing.
That will give the little fern ,
the feeling of being high up on a tree.
The fern was very small, no bigger than a few inches when we took it from the wild. Nature has been treating these ferns well for centuries. Anywhere cool with adequate rotting material will be home for bird's nest fern. Since the introduction of Oil Palm in Malaysia in 1950's , the palms have been the natural place for these fern to thrive. We took a little baby from Kakyah's 3 acre oil palm plot. Now it has grown and presented an extra tropical look to our vegetable garden...
The pot was filled with coconut husk and rotting material from oil palm. Occasionally, doses of organic based fertilizer will be given, to give extra vitamin and minerals. It will get water from the spills of watering on other nearby potted plants... That is the way they survive in the wild....
I love the curl of the young leaf,
a symbol of life kicking.
One thing the fern will miss, is the feeling of being aerial.
~ bangchik
Putrajaya, Malaysia
I love these ferns, but so do the snails so I have to keep mine in the screened patio. Still, they do well there.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I didn't know that there is this kind... I am used to what I see around in the woods in the Philippines and the ones that are edible.
ReplyDelete...This fern even grows by the drainside and rain gutters. My office mate keeps this plant in the office too. They do need good watering as I notice some of my neighbours plants had totally dried up due to the very hot weather.
ReplyDeleteYour fern look very cute like that. I agree with James, this plant is a 'big drinker' :-D
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful. That curl is so sweet. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely. I agree, it will give a tropical look to your garden.
ReplyDeleteVery cute and I really like the fern.
ReplyDeletePenny McCrea
ReplyDeleteRuthi
James Missier
Stephanie
Meredith
Jo
Poetic Shutterbug
Thanks friends, bloggers and gardeners. A fern is almost the icon for tropical feel, especially such a lovely birds nest fern. It is the kind of fern we can easily pick along the road as we pass matured oil palm plantations in Malaysia. The natural habitat for the fern is quite within anybody's reach.
But some would not trouble themselves to pick a tiny one and keep in the garden. Therefore, they will buy from nurseries. But We always get this from the wild...
We used to grow many of these a decade ago, now its a repeat..., I will feature this fern regularly to see how it copes with urbanity of Putrajaya, Malaysia.
This is about the right age and size, when birds nest fern is at its best. Soon the leaves will be much longer, and the older leaves getting brown and dry up.
~bangchik
Putrajaya
Bangchik, Whatever your bird's nest fern might miss, I am sure it will thrive ... as it already has... happily with the loving care you and Kakdah give it. It is such a beautiful plant... and looks nearly aerial in your second photo. ;>)
ReplyDeleteBirds nest ferns are among my favorite plants! They look great in courtyard gardens, in trees and in pots, and I've seen pictures of some huge ones. Yours is so cute!
ReplyDeleteCarol~ Thanks Carol. The more we understand about their habitat, the more the attention is, in giving them the best possible condition and environment to thrive.
ReplyDeleteThe Rainforest Gardener ~ Mine is still a baby. We can still count the number of leaves. Its quite a wait, to see it matures. Restricting the growth in small pot, will dwarf it a little bit.
~bangchik