Where : Bobbin Head, New South Wales
When : 1-20pm, Wednesday, 21st November 2007
Weapon : Panasonic Lumix TZ3
This is an elk horn, platycerium bifurcatum. . I found this magnificent specimen at Bobbin Head, in the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. To give you some idea, this doozie measures about 3 metres in diameter - say about 11 feet or so in old money.
These ferns are epiphytic, which means that they grow on another plant but don't get food, minerals or water from the host. They occur naturally in New Guinea, and along Australian coasts of Queensland and New South Wales.
The elkhorn has also now been cultivated in many countries, and spread into the wild in Florida. It's been listed as an environmentally invasive species in Hawaii. Each plant is composed of a mass of plantlets and can be divided. It can also be propagated from its spores.
P. bifurcatum plants require a shady but damp area to flourish. Rain forest is ideal. They are not prone to attack from many pests and insects, but may be preyed upon by scale bugs and mealy bugs. Although these can be scraped off, the most delightful fix, is for Ladybirds to eat these pests.
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