Well it has been a while since I wrote and I apologize. Summer is here and I have been out in the garden. By now most of you have joined me and unless you are one of the many who only garden indoors, you probably did not even miss me.
I have a lot of things I have been gathering and lots pictures to help show you what I want you to know. I am starting today with a favorite of mine. That is the Rabbit's Foot Fern (Davallia).
The Davallia fern is definitely not collected for its foliage but its growing habits makes it a "must have" for any person who wants something unusual. The thing that makes it unique is that it would prefer not to have a pot and will continue to grow wrapping around itself or any other structure that will give it support. The one above is in a wire basket with a little moss and bark chips to help keep it from drying out. Notice how each rhizome looks like a little furry foot. This is where this family gets it's name as footed ferns.
The "fur" is small root hairs that help to hold water and allows this fern to tolerate lower humidity that most other ferns. The one pictured is a Davallia fejeenisis (Rabbit's Foot Fern) which is the one that is the most common in the US and can be bought in a small size at most garden centers. Other rather easy Davallia's are the canariensis, the pyxidata and the solida. Some of their common names are Hare's Foot, and Squirrel's Foot Fern. There are more Davallias that are more difficult and some that are even deciduous. This means that they will lose their leaves in the winter and look like a large ball of roots. I would try to stay away from them if you are a beginner.
Water regularly in the summer when it is growing and then slow down in the winter when it goes into a dormant phase. If your fern is in a basket with little or no medium, regularly may mean that you will need to mist a couple of times a week.
Water regularly in the summer when it is growing and then slow down in the winter when it goes into a dormant phase. If your fern is in a basket with little or no medium, regularly may mean that you will need to mist a couple of times a week.
When it is time to repot there are a few noteworthy rules to follow. First and for-most: do not bury any root that has already exposed itself to the air. This is now an air root and will rot if buried. Second: the potting medium should be course like you would use for an epiphyte orchid. This allows the furry rhizomes to develop better. Fertilizer is light and you can use a slow release or a half strength solution of a liquid formula.
Pests to watch for are aphids, mealy bugs, scale and thrip. A good hosing or indoors a trip to the showers should take care of most infestations.
If you would like to know more about this fascinating plant check out the Fern Society of South Australia, Davallia Study Group . Though I have owned Davallias over the years there is always something new to learn. I thought it amazing that we usually buy our new plant in a plastic pot and this species does not like them. Keep to the more porous pots. If you cannot do a hanging basket because of the mess that is sometimes associated with it then use a clay pot.
Well, that is all for today. I hope this was worth the wait. I promise that I will go back to writing more often.
Please direct any questions or comments to me in the comment area of this post or email me at houseplantsos@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
k.k.jones
