Experimenting with a fern mount

When it comes to plants that naturally grow as epiphytes, or lithophytes, you know I like to experiment and see what I can get away with. Case in point, this Pyrrosia christii growing on a rock (with a little moss and a little potting soil), this is what it looked like in September.

And now... 

It’s out in the shade pavilion greenhouse and even though we haven’t had a hard freeze, it’s obviously not happy. I’m hoping it will leaf out (frond out?) in the spring, or maybe it's just going to give up? It is an experiment after all.

For my next Pyrrosia christii experiment I decided to mount a couple plants on a piece of tree fern trunk. I read on the Glass Box Tropicals site: “This species also seems more prone to forming a mound instead of wandering around like some of the other rhizomatous species. To get the best growth, this species seems to love tree fern fiber plaques/mounts.”

First I soaked the root ball(s) to help with teasing away extra potting mix.

The tree fern fiber chunk came from a Andy’s Orchids purchase at a past Northwest Flower and Garden Festival. It was the home of either a mounted Pyrrosia nummularifolia or P. piloselloides that didn’t make it.

For mounting I bought a spool of nylon beading thread. I'm done with fishing line, I hate that suff!

Rhizomes and roots spread out on the tree fern fiber.

Weaving the thread around and around.

The moss for this project came from our patio wall. There's no shortage this time of year.

Laid out it looks like a skinned a green squirrel.

The finished project.

When I pictured the finished mount in my mind it certainly wasn't covered in so much moss.

Oh well, I do love moss.

It will be interesting to see how it does, hopefully the abundance of moss well help to keep the fern from drying out.

The next project I plan to tackle involves a much larger piece of tree fern trunk (purchased here). I'm still in the scheming stages with this one...

... but I'm pretty sure it will involve Pyrrosia lingua 'Undulata' that I got from Little Prince.

And I think I'll be able to complete this project without covering the entire piece of trunk with moss.

Postscript to add I've discovered there's a worm living in the moss covered pyrrosia mount. I wanted to set him free outdoors but he refuses to leave easily and I don't want to do any harm. Maybe once everything goes back outdoors this spring he'll make a break for it?

The Bit at the End

Here's an Instagram reel showing a great way to mount a platycerium / staghornfern with a terracotta saucer. I'm definitely planning to try this one: check it out here.

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