Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Tom2006
Posts: 8094
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 11:23 am
Location: East Yorkshire UK

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by Tom2006 »

Not the ones that I have seen.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
fern Rob

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by fern Rob »

have you seen tree ferns come out of a shipping container?
http://www.mypalmshop.com/Tree%20ferns#prettyPhoto[Dicksonia%20antartica]/0/
some of the pictures in the link are fresh imports. click info on the Dicksonia antarctica section.
Blairs

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by Blairs »

I would suggest environmental factors such as lower humidity and different water pH would change the colour. Most of the tap water in England is hard water, water is Tasmania is very soft and the soil is acidic.
Tom2006
Posts: 8094
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 11:23 am
Location: East Yorkshire UK

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by Tom2006 »

Here is one in the wild in Tasmania Rob. Looks nice and dark (waterlogged) unlike the extremely dry light brown ones imported. I'm not saying this is the case, its just a hunch. The ones I have seen in the wild were all dark. http://marcanderson.photoshelter.com/im ... w--&GI_ID=
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
fern Rob

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by fern Rob »

Tom2006 wrote:Here is one in the wild in Tasmania Rob. Looks nice and dark (waterlogged) unlike the extremely dry light brown ones imported. I'm not saying this is the case, its just a hunch. The ones I have seen in the wild were all dark. http://marcanderson.photoshelter.com/im ... w--&GI_ID=
They are moss covered and are going to have darker trunks when saturated with water. You can saturate Dicksonia antarctica here and they will go dark but the wild ones don't seem to fade and get the grey look to the trunks.
Tom2006
Posts: 8094
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 11:23 am
Location: East Yorkshire UK

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by Tom2006 »

fern Rob wrote:
Tom2006 wrote:Here is one in the wild in Tasmania Rob. Looks nice and dark (waterlogged) unlike the extremely dry light brown ones imported. I'm not saying this is the case, its just a hunch. The ones I have seen in the wild were all dark. http://marcanderson.photoshelter.com/im ... w--&GI_ID=
They are moss covered and are going to have darker trunks when saturated with water. You can saturate Dicksonia antarctica here and they will go dark but the wild ones don't seem to fade and get the grey look to the trunks.
That is my guess Rob. In the wild they are dark because they are in high rainfall/humidity. The ones we get are dried out for weeks in containers. I can't find a picture of a wild ones with a the red trunks we see on the imported ones. Can you?
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
fern Rob

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by fern Rob »

Tom2006 wrote:
fern Rob wrote:
Tom2006 wrote:Here is one in the wild in Tasmania Rob. Looks nice and dark (waterlogged) unlike the extremely dry light brown ones imported. I'm not saying this is the case, its just a hunch. The ones I have seen in the wild were all dark. http://marcanderson.photoshelter.com/im ... w--&GI_ID=
They are moss covered and are going to have darker trunks when saturated with water. You can saturate Dicksonia antarctica here and they will go dark but the wild ones don't seem to fade and get the grey look to the trunks.
That is my guess Rob. In the wild they are dark because they are in high rainfall/humidity. The ones we get are dried out for weeks in containers. I can't find a picture of a wild ones with a the red trunks we see on the imported ones. Can you?
If you go and look on GOTE and look for the article with the tree fern plantation the tree ferns are red. Most of my Dicksonia antarctica and a medullaris came from Mr Fern and they are really good plants.
fern Rob

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by fern Rob »

http://www.growingontheedge.net/viewtop ... 4&start=45

about the middle of the page icon_thumleft
Tom2006
Posts: 8094
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 11:23 am
Location: East Yorkshire UK

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by Tom2006 »

fern Rob wrote:http://www.growingontheedge.net/viewtop ... 4&start=45

about the middle of the page icon_thumleft
They look extremely dry Rob.
Most wanted list - Any Young Trachycarpus and/or fern.
fern Rob

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by fern Rob »

Tom2006 wrote:
fern Rob wrote:http://www.growingontheedge.net/viewtop ... 4&start=45

about the middle of the page icon_thumleft
They look extremely dry Rob.
They have got to be good plants just by looking at the size of the fronds and trunks, i can also vouch for there quality. I think it must be something really simple that I'm overlooking. icon_scratch
call

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by call »

I know what you mean by the grey colour and have been wondering the same question myself because my one still has the redness on the trunk and it is going through its second winter! Also mine is practically evergreen :wink:
fern Rob

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by fern Rob »

call wrote:I know what you mean by the grey colour and have been wondering the same question myself because my one still has the redness on the trunk and it is going through its second winter! Also mine is practically evergreen :wink:
My Dicksonia antarctica are evergreen this year but they look tatty. Its the climate here that depicts if they are going to stay evergreen of not. icon_thumleft
sanatic1234

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by sanatic1234 »

Tom2006 wrote:
fern Rob wrote:
Tom2006 wrote:Here is one in the wild in Tasmania Rob. Looks nice and dark (waterlogged) unlike the extremely dry light brown ones imported. I'm not saying this is the case, its just a hunch. The ones I have seen in the wild were all dark. http://marcanderson.photoshelter.com/im ... w--&GI_ID=
They are moss covered and are going to have darker trunks when saturated with water. You can saturate Dicksonia antarctica here and they will go dark but the wild ones don't seem to fade and get the grey look to the trunks.
That is my guess Rob. In the wild they are dark because they are in high rainfall/humidity. The ones we get are dried out for weeks in containers. I can't find a picture of a wild ones with a the red trunks we see on the imported ones. Can you?
I reckon your spot on tom, the climate over here compared to Australia is totally different, and we don't get the humidity/rain like they do in Australian rainforests that is fact!

To be honest fernrob and in my honest opinion, you are having great advice as to what it can be, but you are shrugging off every comment, so really i don't think you will find your answer on HTUK as its coming across that no answer is going to be right. I would dare say the Australian nursery that you are thinking about contacting would back the theory of climate growing conditions. But hey that is my opinion and i am 100% sure it will be something you disagree on?
call

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by call »

My one is 3 ft. and was bought from a local nursery, it was harvested in victoria but stayed in the UK for some time.
It puts out new growth in spring followed by a smaller flush in summer which stays green all winter long. Some straw is put in the crown and some of the tatty growth from last year bent back to protect the new growth in spring from late frosts.
It is in a sheltered place however it can get a quite windy and In summer it is watered from the crown.
Under it grows a very young one that has put on loads of growth this year and is staying evergreen.

I was just looking at it today and thinking about what a healthy specimen it looks :DD
fern Rob

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Post by fern Rob »

call wrote:My one is 3 ft. and was bought from a local nursery, it was harvested in victoria but stayed in the UK for some time.
It puts out new growth in spring followed by a smaller flush in summer which stays green all winter long. Some straw is put in the crown and some of the tatty growth from last year bent back to protect the new growth in spring from late frosts.
It is in a sheltered place however it can get a quite windy and In summer it is watered from the crown.
Under it grows a very young one that has put on loads of growth this year and is staying evergreen.

I was just looking at it today and thinking about what a healthy specimen it looks :DD
It just seems like the colour of the trunk has no effect on the plant, sounds like its well established when it flushed twice. icon_thumleft
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