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Mark Longley
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:45 pm Posts: 877 Location: Auckland, NZ
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Digging up a Tree Fern gem
While browsing the palms and ferns section of trademe (the NZ equivalent of eBay) I came across this beastly looking tree fern for sale in someone's garden in Auckland. It's hard to tell from this image what species it is but logic led me to believe that it must be a Cyathea dealbata. In a garden setting like this, Cyathea dealbata is the only tree fern other than Cytahea medullaris that could fend for itself unwatered and unloved and it's definitely not a medullaris.
So with a $1 reserve I threw my hat into the ring and won a hotly contested auction at the princely sum of $5.50. That's about £2.50 in old money!
So I turned up yesterday with a selection of spades and upon seeing this beastly bargain in the flesh was somewhat taken aback to find that it was not a Cyathea dealbata but a multi trunked Dicksonia antarctica. I checked the pinnules with my hands which confirmed the texture to be soft unlike the distinctly prickly effect on the fingers which would have indicated Dicksonia fibrosa, the far more likely candidate of the two.
Also the trunk, upon inspection showed one of its offspring had developed as a branch at the base of the mother plant. There are also several other self sewn sporelings dotted up and down demonstrating that this tree fern has been left to its own devices up disturbed for quite some time.
So out came the spades and I decided to cut a trench around the base. Go down about 20cm and then cut in under. It all sounds fairly straight forward but this bad boy has been sitting in that little border in the corner of the garden for over 20 years and was pretty keen to stay for a little longer. So it took me an hour and a broken spade to get the trench cut.
Then I started cutting in under with the theory that I would get to a certain point where I could put some weight on it and gravity will do the rest.
Finally the pendulum swings in my favour and the 2 metre DA gives up its anchorage.
I can say without exaggeration that this trunk weighs at least 120kgs. I used to be able to pick trunks up of this size in England and wield them around the garden on my shoulder but they had spent 8 weeks in a container and were dehydrated. This thing is absolutely full of water and took me and the previous owner a lot of effort just to lug up it up onto the back of the ute.
It may surprise some to know that a mature DA of this size is a very rare find here in NZ. They are not imported anymore from Australia due to the tight bio security laws imposed since the 90s so this one must have been planted a few years back perhaps as a young nursery grown plant and has thrived on neglect. Dicksonia fibrosa don't grow well here in Auckland because I think the climate is just a little too warm and dry in summer and they are very much a cooler climate species. Whereas Dicksonia antarctica is found in warmer regions Whilst also, based on this example very drought tolerant.
_________________ www.thefernhouse.moonfruit.com
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Sun Aug 30, 2015 12:08 am |
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Stan
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 5:52 pm Posts: 10687 Location: Hayward- S.F. Bay area Ca.
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
What a monster! I know the feeling of getting something at a great bargain-- and its too heavy to lift Pruning measures are a must. Awesome plant. Did the owner say why he tired of it?
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Sun Aug 30, 2015 3:32 am |
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Mark Longley
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:45 pm Posts: 877 Location: Auckland, NZ
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
Hi Stan
Yes there's nothing like the buzz of knowing you got a bargain for a great plant. I've bought bargain plants before but then ended up having to pay for a crane to lift it so this ranks as the best 5 dollar bargain by miles.
The owner just wanted rid of it to plant a hedge! Didn't ever look at her "fern tree" twice. Actually she was more concerned that I took all the fronds with me than waving good bye to it. And I was more than happy to take the fronds too as they make a great weed mat. Everyone's a winner!
_________________ www.thefernhouse.moonfruit.com
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Sun Aug 30, 2015 3:53 am |
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hilts
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 7:30 pm Posts: 2269 Location: Devon, South Coast UK
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
_________________ If he paid me what it's costing him to stop me robbing him, I'd stop robbing him
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Sun Aug 30, 2015 6:25 am |
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garytheflounder
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 10:32 pm Posts: 241 Location: Brighton Sussex uk
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
Meh two and a half quid plus the cost of a new spade.....not such a bargain now, is it? Envy is a strange beast
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Sun Aug 30, 2015 7:29 am |
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Kev Spence
Site Admin
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:59 pm Posts: 10902 Location: Loughborough, Leics, central UK
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
Excellent could not have gone to a better person I assume it will re-root without a problem in your climate Mark. I am thinking you will be checking the adverts quite a lot to check for more bargains. I think if it happened in this country I would be hoping for a Cyathea dealbata but nice score on the D.A.
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Sun Aug 30, 2015 7:43 am |
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hilts
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 7:30 pm Posts: 2269 Location: Devon, South Coast UK
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
_________________ If he paid me what it's costing him to stop me robbing him, I'd stop robbing him
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Sun Aug 30, 2015 8:17 am |
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Jimhardy
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
That list might include D.A. as they are also tough. Great story-good luck with your new Tree fern.
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Sun Aug 30, 2015 3:37 pm |
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Eduard O
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:46 pm Posts: 1196 Location: Maastricht Netherlands
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
It was quite a chore to remove those nice thick trunk, successfully with planting Mark Gr. Eduard.
_________________ 2021 min. -09.1ºC --- max. 33.2ºC 2022 min. -09.0ºC --- max. 39.7ºC
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Sun Aug 30, 2015 3:41 pm |
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Mark Longley
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:45 pm Posts: 877 Location: Auckland, NZ
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
_________________ www.thefernhouse.moonfruit.com
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Sun Aug 30, 2015 7:45 pm |
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Fukuoka Scott
Joined: Wed Aug 28, 2013 2:32 pm Posts: 958 Location: Fukuoka, Japan
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
Nice find!
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Mon Aug 31, 2015 2:46 am |
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Mark Longley
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:45 pm Posts: 877 Location: Auckland, NZ
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
With several days of rain due within the coming hours I decided to get it straight into its new home. I'm still not entirely sure that I won't cut the smaller trunk off of the main one at the base but for now it's staying.
I put it in this corner which is sheltered from the afternoon sun. I like the idea of walking under the fronds as you come down the steps.
The crown is absolutely bursting with new croziers. 30 of them waiting to pop once spring arrives in a matter of 2 or 3 weeks I'm guessing.
_________________ www.thefernhouse.moonfruit.com
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Mon Aug 31, 2015 7:03 am |
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Jimhardy
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
Thats going to be fun to see,it will certainly be much happier at its new home.
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Mon Aug 31, 2015 2:10 pm |
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Tom Velardi
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:20 pm Posts: 4337 Location: Kyushu, Southern Japan (33.607N latitude)
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
Mark, that is a find for sure, and a funny story - a rare tree fern in the land of tree ferns One question, why did you plant it so close the stairway, or is that an artifact of the photo? BTW, I've found that even here in relatively wet Japan, C. dealbata needs a lot less care than C. medullaris. Of course no tree fern likes to be truly dry.
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Mon Aug 31, 2015 10:53 pm |
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MauriceEpitree
Joined: Wed May 11, 2011 12:14 am Posts: 689 Location: Te Aroha, Waikato, North Island, New Zealand
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Re: Digging up a Tree Fern gem
Good score Mark Get someone to weld you up a steel handled spade (Galv pipe) You might need to buy an old spade from a second hand shop made of real metal though other wise the handle won't break but the spade will Maurice.
_________________ http://www.epiphytetree.com/
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Tue Sep 01, 2015 3:07 am |
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