Blechnum Chilense

[TOP BANANA]

I did not know where to put it so left it there for now, just a small screw holding it up. i got it from a pound shop last year.

[themes]

leave it, its not doing any harm. Its just the perspective looked strange, like it was hovering

[Stuart Bebb]

Morin All
I've done OK with my Blechnun's nundun is doing very well indeed with lots of new fronds , chilense has pushed out two or three new fronds so far and looks to be a few more on the way , my gibbum is doing well also, which is interesting because all were kept outside over winter in my makeshift polly tunnel even the B. gibbum but doing well
cheers Stuart

[DiCasS]

My tabulare was hit badly this last Winter with the main growing point dying, but the off shoots are really going for it now with some good growth. I suspect it was -9 in my garden this last Winter - could even have been a tad lower. I did ball fleece it and put a covering of fleece over but this wasn't enough. I shall do better this Winter.

Nudum has been planted out recently and am really impressed with the amount of fronds this one is throwing u p. I put this one roughly the same hardiness as tabulare (is it?) so will also protect in Winter. My chilense is a newcomer and still in it's pot. Nudum hasn't seen a Winter here yet so with a bit more protection that I gave tabulare, I hope will come through okay.

Di

[Petefree]

I think B chilense is pretty hardy - I've never protected it and never had problems with it.
I don't have B tabulare but I did get B nudum from Akamba last year and it was left out unprotected in a sheltered shady border all winter with no damage and has put on lots of growth this year. Being on the coast I was fortunately spared the really horrific temperatures many got last winter - so the lowest it faced here was probably minus 5C - but as I say, that didn't trouble it at all.
Apart from a slight yearning for B tabulare - the other Blechnum on my wishlist is B magellanicum - I haven't found a good specimen for sale yet - only some weedy looking little things that looked a bit borderline on the survival front to me, and probably hadn't rooted (shipped in as "logs").
Good news on B gibbum, Stuart - I've always thought of that one as rather too tender.
Pete

[Stuart Bebb]

Hi Pete,
Yes its very odd about my B.gibbum I bought it as a house plant a few years ago but the past two winters its been outside in a pot I would have brought it inside this past winter but forgot it always loses its fronds but comes back springtime.
cheers Stuart

[DiCasS]

Okay thanks for that Pete. So we know that Nudum will take -5 without a problem but has anyone had success with it lower than -5. Not that I'm getting ready for Winter yet, it's just that I want to know how many more things I have to protect.

I agree the Blechnum mag. is a lovely fern (hope you find one soon) especially the colouring of the new fronds. I've only just got into these ferns and am loving them.

Di