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Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2014 10:08 pm
by fern Rob
I would say that the tree ferns on the Tasmanian tree fern management plan have the orange red trunk! on page 6 wouldn't you agree?
http://www.environment.gov.au/system/fi ... n-2012.pdf

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 12:55 pm
by samj
All the trunk that has grown on mine since it was planted in the UK is light brown / slightly orange and the original trunk is a darker brown. My guess would be that the colour differences is due to climate as I've seen lots of Dicksonia Antartica in Cornwall, but never a grey one. I think we get more rain in the southwest than in most of the country, and in West Cornwall we seem to get relentless 'mizzle'

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 6:30 pm
by fern Rob
samj wrote:All the trunk that has grown on mine since it was planted in the UK is light brown / slightly orange and the original trunk is a darker brown. My guess would be that the colour differences is due to climate as I've seen lots of Dicksonia Antartica in Cornwall, but never a grey one. I think we get more rain in the southwest than in most of the country, and in West Cornwall we seem to get relentless 'mizzle'
We do get more than our fair share of rain here as it keeps killing my boggy lawn :lol: . Dark brown is what I'm referring to and sometimes they turn a slight grey brown. The slight orange what you are referring to is what i am referring to when they come out of the shipping containers, so the new trunk that is orange is backing up my point, as surly the newly formed trunk should have turned brown if thats how they are supposed to be, so rain in my opinion can not be related to it.
I am now wondering if the orange turns brown because it was once live root growth thats been severed when harvested, where as the new growth trunk is orange living growth . icon_thumleft

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:30 pm
by Tom2006
Rob I dont think they are suppose to be the light brown colour.

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:37 pm
by fern Rob
Tom2006 wrote:Rob I dont think they are suppose to be the light brown colour.
Well they come in to the UK light brown, it must be a healthy tree fern to put on new trunk and that is orange.

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:53 pm
by Tom2006
fern Rob wrote:
Tom2006 wrote:Rob I dont think they are suppose to be the light brown colour.
Well they come in to the UK light brown, it must be a healthy tree fern to put on new trunk and that is orange.
But my hunch is its because they dry out.

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:56 pm
by fern Rob
Tom2006 wrote:
fern Rob wrote:
Tom2006 wrote:Rob I dont think they are suppose to be the light brown colour.
Well they come in to the UK light brown, it must be a healthy tree fern to put on new trunk and that is orange.
But my hunch is its because they dry out.
Why would the top new growth have dried out?

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:00 pm
by Tom2006
Well they come in to the UK light brown, it must be a healthy tree fern to put on new trunk and that is orange.[/quote]

But my hunch is its because they dry out.[/quote]
Why would the top new growth have dried out?[/quote]

They sit for weeks drying out. My last one was very light weight, very red in colour and as soon as I soaked it started to turn darker in colour.

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:09 pm
by fern Rob
Tom2006 wrote:Well they come in to the UK light brown, it must be a healthy tree fern to put on new trunk and that is orange.
But my hunch is its because they dry out.[/quote]
Why would the top new growth have dried out?[/quote]

They sit for weeks drying out. My last one was very light weight, very red in colour and as soon as I soaked it started to turn darker in colour.[/quote]

but why would only the top new growth be orange if it is planted and well established?

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:11 pm
by Tom2006
fern Rob wrote:
Tom2006 wrote:Well they come in to the UK light brown, it must be a healthy tree fern to put on new trunk and that is orange.
But my hunch is its because they dry out.
Why would the top new growth have dried out?[/quote]

They sit for weeks drying out. My last one was very light weight, very red in colour and as soon as I soaked it started to turn darker in colour.[/quote]

but why would only the top new growth be orange if it is planted and well established?[/quote]

Who knows Rob.

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:11 pm
by Leigh
Without being rude, is there any point to this Topic ?

Re: Why do Dicksonia antarctica change colour ?

Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:16 pm
by fern Rob
Leigh wrote:Without being rude, is there any point to this Topic ?
The real point is that it is something that happens to the Dicksonia antarctica in Britain but no one ever mentions it. It may have some connection with establishment, climate, water, feed, who knows? but if it is never mentioned no research or answers/ conclusions will ever be drawn up. icon_thumleft