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452 products
Blessed be the zone-pushers who find the members of groups generally thought to be unavailable to those not in the tropics which can manage in our temperate world. Drynaria, or basket ferns are a fascinating group that produces dry, skeletal basal fronds which are designed to collect detritus. This offers them enhanced nutrition usually provided by soil contact, which they often don't have as they grow on tree trunks or rock faces. Unfortunately this can usually only be observed in glasshouses leaving many plant-lovers and even fern fanatics unaware of its wonder. No longer we say! This Chinese species is surely among the hardiest of the genus, with proven survival in the UK and North Carolina. The closest thing you will get to a hardy staghorn, and certainly something you won't find in a friend's garden.
As a plant hunter and explorer, it doesn’t get any better than being part of a team that finds and introduces a species new to science and we were tasked with growing this from very limited seed. It is even better when that species is not new because it is obscure with minor taxonomic differences from other known Asian species but instead, waves those richly ornamental characteristics like a flag. The main feature that jumps right out at you on this entire-leafed tree is the tawny amber indumentum on the underside of the leaves which tantalizes spring into fall, the latter time enhanced by the orange-red fruit. This has also been collected by a French nursery from a different area but likely the same mountain range. This very limited offering is from one clone propagated by cuttings.
