As we welcome the Christmas season, no home is complete without a couple of potted ferns for indoors and hanging baskets for the patio and around the house.
Ferns are one of the oldest plants on earth. They come in various sizes and shapes. Ferns do well in semi-shaded areas where they are protected from the harshness of direct sunlight. There are many species of ferns in the rainforest; approximately 10,000 have been identified.
Ferns stand out from regular potted plants. They grow from rhizomes which are stem-like and grow from the underground or right along the surface. Ferns are easily identified by their ornate leaves which are known as fronds.
Ferns produce tiny spores, from which they reproduce. When they are ripe and where there is moisture these tiny spores would be carried by the wind to other areas, forming new rhizomes. The spores are often mistaken for scale insects on the leaves.
Some of the traditional ferns used in Guyana for Christmas include:
Indoor Patio and outdoor hanging baskets
Maiden Hair Rabbit Foot
Boston Toyo
Sword Tail Staghorn
Silver Lace Asparagus
So make sure you get those potted and hanging basket ferns ready in time for Christmas.
Until next week, Happy Gardening!
