Anyone transplanted Resurrection Fern before? I just got some from my father's house in Bastrop yesterday and I'm going to "plant" them on one of my Live Oaks today.
Just looking for tips.
Resurrection Fern
I have not grown it on a tree; however, I do have the plant. I keep it dormant most of the time and put it in water just for fun every once in a while. I have heard that you just squeeze the rhizomes together and push them between the furrows in the oak bark.
A few of my live oaks have them. I read that the ferns grow only on dead or dying (damaged) branches. So I went out and looked at where the ferns were growing — dead branches or bark that looked damaged. I couldn't find any on healthy live branches. I believe the rhizomes need to grow into the area once occupied by the cambium layer. There it would be protected from drying out too fast. I don't remember where I read that, but now I can't find the source and find that it will grow elsewhere. I must admit, I haven't seen it on anything, but dead branches. Maybe on more humid areas or areas that get more rain, it grows on healthy branches.
Initially, it would have to be kept damp until the rhizomes establish themselves.
In east TX, it grows from the ground up on many hardwood trees. I hadn't noticed which type but suspect primarily oak. I love this plant as it isn't there one day and then along comes a rain. Never have tried to "plant" it tho, sorry.
So I worked it into the bark on the north side of my tree where the moss is growing. We'll see what happens. I have a piece of the dead wood it was attached to so since it might only grow on dead matter, I'm going to put it up next to it so it can attach to it if needed.
AustinRealtor, it looks great. Please keep us informed on its profgress. The fog (if its foggy there too) ought to help it! :o)
I tied pieces of the fern to one reachable Live Oak branch and the birds took care of spreading them around. No, they don't just grow on dead branches.
Our street is lined with gorgeous old live oaks whose branches span the street, many of which now have resurrection fern growing on them.
The only picture I could find was taken immediately after Ike passed through and prior to cleanup (the piles were so high I'm not sure you could've seen the trees). You'll note that the broad, healthy limbs are covered with resurrection fern (which seemed about the only plant which did enjoy the storm).
Leslie
LeslieT, do the ferns cause the oak limbs to not receive enough sunlight causing them to die as does ball moss in my area?
Doesn't the resurrection fern stay shriveled unless there is moisture like a rain? I don't think it would interfere with sunlight... maybe I'm thinking of the wrong fern.
No, resurrection fern is not damaging in the way that ball moss is. That stuff is just awful . . . . I see too many crape myrtles around here that are so full of ball moss they're dying and nobody tries to remove it! It wouldn't be impossible to remove from a crape myrtle the way it can be on larger trees.
As far as I can see, resurrection fern does no damage (and I've been observing it on the Gulf Coast for 50 years). It is brown and shriveled (so it doesn't show up much) when it's dry and then fills out after several days of rain. I think it's beautiful on the long horizontal limbs that our coastal live oaks grow.
Podster and LeslieT, thanks for the info. LeslieT, I spent a good part of yesterday removing ball moss from one of my crape myrtles. It is impossible for me to remove it from the upper portions of 2 of my huge crape myrtles. Today, the tree trimmer guys are coming to cut all of the dead limbs (caused by ball moss) out of 2 of my oaks and to remove the ball moss by hand. The ball moss can be killed with a chemical spray (only administered by licensed aborists); however, it will heavily infest the trees again in about 5 of years because of all the ball moss in all of the other trees in the neighborhood. It is very expensive and I have always feared using the chemical.
I don't believe I've ever seen ball moss. Sounds terrible. We see mistletoe growing high in the trees here but never that type of moss. Good luck!
podster, thanks for the "Good luck."