Drynaria roosiiBasket Fern

Drynaria roosii is an epiphytic fern that builds its own soil. Sterile brown nest fronds form a persistent basket at the base of the plant, collecting leaf litter and moisture, while the green foliage fronds arch out from it to a metre or more.

Mounted on a trunk, a rock face or a wall, it produces one of the strongest textural effects available in shaded tropical planting, and it tolerates a dry rest between wet seasons better than most ferns.

Specifications

• Height0.6 to 1.0 metres
• Width0.6 to 1.0 metres, spreading by creeping rhizome
• Native toSouthern China, Taiwan and Indochina
• FoliageTwo frond types: persistent brown nest fronds at the base and large deeply lobed green foliage fronds; semi-deciduous in the dry season
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilEpiphytic; needs a coarse free-draining organic medium, or mounting on bark or rock
• LightPartial shade
• WaterModerate; tolerates a drier rest once the rhizome is established
• ClimateThrives in humid subtropical and tropical regions

Additional Features

• UsesTrunk and wall mounting, green wall panels, shaded rockeries and tropical understorey texture
• SpacingMount 0.6 to 0.8 metres apart, or allow a single plant to colonise a host
• Low MaintenanceLeave the brown nest fronds in place; they are part of the plant, not dead material
• Pest ResistanceGenerally untroubled where airflow is adequate
• FormDistinctive two-tier structure of basket and arching fronds
• Cultural SignificanceThe rhizome, known as gu sui bu, has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine

The Basket Fern is a distinctive epiphytic feature for shaded tropical walls, trunks and rockwork.