Is that an epilithic or endolithic lithophyte?

Last summer I did this little fern planting of Asplenium trichomanes and Pyrrosia lingua 'Kei Kan' next to one of my stock tanks... 

Rather than dig down into the ground to plant, I mounded up a little soil and a lot of moss in between the rocks. The plants have done well. Of course, since these ferns and rocks are sitting on the ground, there is every reason to think their roots have also penetrated the soil by now. 

Early this spring when a plant enabling friend said he was going to Windcliff, "did I want him to pick up anything for me?" I jumped at the chance to add another pyrrosia to my expanding collection...

The words that jumped out at me were "specimen occupying virtually no soil at all"...hmm. This could be fun to play with! After all...

I've been hanging on to that photo since 2019—taken when I visited the growing grounds for the plants at the Amazon Spheres—and finally decided the time was right to use it. Unfortunately I've lost the name of the fellow modeling the t-shirt, I hope he will forgive me.

Researching epiphytes and pyrrosia online I came across this information: "Lithophytes are plants that grow in or on rocks. They can be classified as either epilithic or endolithic; epilithic lithophytes grow on the surfaces of rocks, while endolithic lithophytes grow in the crevices of rocks." While my planting example above—and Hinkley's pyrrosia description—included rocks, the planting I am sharing today does not. Simply because I wanted it to hang and I didn't want to worry about the weight of the rocks. 

So, back to those pyrrosia from Windcliff—which by the way I am not IDing as being a lithophyte, epilithic or endolithic, I just thought it was interesting information to share—I don't have a photo of the plants in their nursery pots. They were small, kind underwhelming actually, but it turns out small is good because it made it easier for me to work them into the hanging, epiphytic situation...

I used the flat metal hanger which had previously been home to several tillandsia, plants that eventually ended up in the bromeliad screen plantings (these). 

This is definitely a much better use of the hanging "planter"...

I went with a pair of arched pieces of bark to contain the pyrrosia roots. This allowed me to tuck the ferns in between, with a little soil. Pyrrosia like to grow on a slope and this gives them a few to creep across and over.

Look, new leaves!

I'm pretty excited about how these turned out. 

I can hear some of you thinking "well that would never work here, it's too dry/hot!"...

To which I give you our July temperatures in Portland (source)...

And our August temperatures, thus far...

Then add in that our current streak of dry days is at 43 and counting—so, that is to say that wherever it is that you live, should try something like this if you're so inclined. Unless of course if you live in Texas, where it's been over 100 for something like the last year and a half... Texans should not try this. 

All material © 2009-2022 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.