Weedy tree fern?

[David F]

I wonder if the Instagram and Facebook attitudes are also a British versus American thing. There’s certainly a lot of vanity and vapidness to it, but they both have opened up doors and interactions with smart growers all over the world. I’ve received plenty of priceless info on both sites, and enjoy the ease of sharing my garden interactions/questions.

I’ve got respect for everyone growing Tree Ferns from spore, I’d never have the patience. I enjoy the 4 species I have, Cyathea medularis, Cibotium glaucum, and another Cyathea I can never recall the species name.

[Taffy]

Paul yep, like the Tomentosissima/ Cooperi Highland Lace debacle I think there's quite a list of ferns grown in cultivation that bare no resemblance to the real thing,
I'm afraid I chickened out with my Atrox var atrox at -2c with a -5c on the way . Unlike friends in Oz who's ferns would tolerate that, our winter daytime temps are not as high as theirs to aid recovery.
Another fern that can be added to the list is Excelsa aka Brownii. Putting aside the fact that cooperi is very often mis-sold as Brownii, the tan coloured fern that has been generally accepted as Brownii is yet another that bares no resemblance to the real Excelsa / Brownii. I was fortunate to receive spore of the true Excelsa from a Aussie friend who visited Norfolk Island a couple of years ago and harvested the true fern himself, result being I now have the true fern growing here. Some pics which may interest you ......

The "imposter" generally accepted as Brownii in cultivation ...





The true Excelsa/ Brownii on Norfolk Island ......








My true Excelsa/ Brownii ......

[Paul S]

Wow, what a difference! That russet fur is stunning. I saw similarly coloured, but smaller, treeferns in Mexico.

So, Mark, what is the blonde brownii imposter - just another form of cooperi or something without a name?

[Chad]

I therefore assume that this is Sphaeropteris excelsa (Hort) rather than Sphaeropteris excelsa (R.Br. ex Endl.)

Please note how carefully I worded that so as not to insult or defame anyone!

Chad

[Taffy]

Wow, what a difference! That russet fur is stunning. I saw similarly coloured, but smaller, treeferns in Mexico.

So, Mark, what is the blonde brownii imposter - just another form of cooperi or something without a name?

It's been suggested it's a New Caledonia fern but as is often the case it would just be guessing.
Could the Mexican fern be Alsophila firma aka Cy Mexicana ? Alas not taken in Mexico but a few pics I took of Mexicana in the Madeira Botanical Garden in June ....

[Paul S]

I did see that one, also several more. There is one particular stretch of road north of Oaxaca that passes through cloud forest where there are at least a half dozen species, including the massive C. princeps. At the time I wrote to the American fern expert John Mickel who, amazingly, was happy to correspond about it. He ID'd the ferns I sent pictures of but that correspondance has been lost when my last pc went into meltdown.

This one was fatter than C. mexicana, not as spiny, but just as red - quite striking.

[Taffy]

Cyathea fulva ?

[Paul S]

Could be!

[Stan510]

There is the REAL Cyathea australis growing for many decades at the local Hayward/Eastbay U. I have photos if needed buried in my PC.
For ease from spore C.brownii.

[Chad]

For ease from spore C.brownii.

Following on from Taffy's post above, in California do you have the 'real' Sphaeropteris excelsa [Cyathea brownii] or the blond imposter?

Chad