Hardy Tropicals UK

I noticed some small weeds growing out of the trunk of my very healthy tree fern, and got me to thinking whether anyone intentionally uses them .... as a live mount for any bromeliads/epiphytes/orchids? I think it is something I would be interested to do, but of course they would have to be hardy as my tree ferns don't come in.

I allow assorted ferns to colonize, I think they are mostly natives, I had thought about Philesia but they are possibly a bit big if happy!

Seems feasable an Idea Ouraka,

I was thinking something like this, its climbing the garage at the moment. I also put a cutting of it on the back where old pebbles are, it seems to have taken ok.

Yes, that would probably work though not sure I would want something that is going to spread too much as the trunk is beautiful in its own right. I was thinking something a bit more dainty?

I have put Bromeliads on wooden plates and hooked them on to the Tree ferns but I did not make holes in the Tree fern to plant them has I did not know what dammage it would do to the tree ferns trunk and root run.

I

was thinking something a bit more dainty?

Very funny ouraka............

I don't know how but can you get moss to grow on the Dicksonia antarctica.

I would and do remove and weeds/plants growing on mine.

Not to everyone's taste but this is my Dicksonia as of this morning

002 by charliepridham, on Flickr
Moss and ferns (I draw the line at fireweed!)

001 by charliepridham, on Flickr

How do you get all the ferns to grow on the Dicksonia antarctica trunk.

I'm growing Polypodiums on a dean one, so you might as well try it on a living one

Kind regards,
Remko.

Its rained here all day but if its fine tomorrow then I am going to try a couple of pieces of sedum whilst its still the growing season.

Nice to know it can be done - not sure I would want to cover the entire trunk, but might have a little look in to things like hardy orchids etc.

I'm going to the local garden centre tomorrow to see what may grow on to the Dicksonia antarctica without the plants being deep rooted.

fern Rob wrote:How do you get all the ferns to grow on the Dicksonia antarctica trunk.

Just make sure it never dries out, the ferns just arrive and grow. I have a dripper on a timer it gets two lots of 30 mins a day of dripping into the crown