Pyrrosia

Or Pyrrosia porosa var. porosa depending on how you view monomorphic indument. This Felt Fern is widely distributed in China and Taiwan with 6" strappy leaves soft as the ears on our friends new kittens, Oliver and Stanley. This would be found as an epiphyte in trees or shaded rock outcrops or cliffs that are moist.

Tongue Ferns are widespread in China and Japan where they can be epiphytic as well as lithophytic on rocks. Fantastic variants are being selected by the cult followers of Pyrrosia in Japan and "Tachiba Koryu' is one with evergreen blade-like leaves sporting rounded lobes along the margins. Does fantastic at Peckerwood Gardens near Houston. We have seen the species making impressive colonies on rock faces or in mossy rubble during various China forays and it is always like coming across an old friend in the forest. This is best grown in loose, well drained soil and would be happy in a rotting stump or lightly shaded scree bed.

Our collection from Asia of this evergreen fern we might refer to as Pyrrosia lingua, but given that taxonomy is especially fluid these years, we're allowing it might be something different. This formed an impressive colony on the bluff overlaying a partly shaded large rock slab where it would endure periods of dry. Vigorous! Good drainage is important.

An uncommon variety of the standard evergreen Tongue fern found across East Asia. To this already attractive species 'Keikan' adds wide fronds with rippling deeply lobed margins resulting in a striking flame-like effect. Best grown in a well drained location or on a slope where it will happily spread by its trailing rhizomes.

The original introduction of this species by friend and mentor Steve Doonan from Taiwan in the late 60's or early 70's. This is the typical species and differs from ones seen with twisted leaves which were from tissue culture. Divisions of the plant given to us by Steve. Steve told us this survived in a pot outside one extreme winter for him at 0F.

This choice Tongue Fern is notable for the yellowish variegation on its evergreen 12" long leaves, and is likely conspecific with the clone sold as 'Variegata', Pyrrosia are easy but require great drainage and unless you are planting it in a stumpery, rockery or slope, you will need to seriously amend with gravel, bark or assorted detritus of life. Nice divisions from our stock plants.

Lives up to it's common name of Felt Fern. Felty-soft, three to five-lobed fronds stay evergreen and have coppery undersides. Growing as an epiphyte in its native range, this prefers good drainage and a partly shady spot.  Spreads very slowly, but definitely worth the wait. What we are selling here is a predominantly 3-lobed form that is going around incorrectly as P. hastata.

The myriad of skinny little wimp linguas flee before the broad shouldered chad heteractis with its rippling dimorphic chest hair of stellate boat-shaped rays and rich wooly under layer, so says the Flora of China's arcane key . At least that's how I remember it. All this to say that this exciting little number we collected in Yunnan boasts wider fronds and more uniformly attractive indument than the more commonly offered Pyrrosia lingua. Rare to see this species in cultivation (though it's possible some linguas or "sp."s in the market are actually heteractis) and the elevation of this collection leaves some question as to its hardiness as compared to those finally reaching the mainstream but rarity and risk often go hand in hand.

A Far Reaches Botanical Conservancy Offering

Collected in Taiwan by gifted plantsman Steve Doonan, this amazing Fern is hardy to at least single digits. This is a locally famous fern frustratingly slow to propagate and always red-lining the Plant Lust meter. We're happy to have some to share. Hard to imagine this is a fern with these big leathery evergreen leaves up to 18" long and with that glorious underleaf when mature. Likes good drainage and not too wet but gently moist. The Pyrossias we've seen in Arunachal Pradesh and China love to grow in moss on top of rocks and really love a good stone wall. Easy in morning sun or light shade. Mulch in winter first year or two.