It seems like most of the posts her could be remedied by opening a basic house plant book, but I can't figure these plants out at all... The first one I bought at some awful department store tucked in amongst the normal houseplants on offer. I first thought it was a succulent relative of the Tradescantia but on closer inspection I don't think so. Those hairs are super sharp. I had to pull some out of my skin! And interestingly it has started to grow aerial roots from the stems, but not from the leaf nodes. I've only ever seen aerial roots grow from leaf nodes. The second is certainly a Ctenanthe (or Stromanthe?). Actually I've seen it listed online once as Ctenanthe Burle-Marxii Ghost Dance. Agree? The third is almost certainly an Asplenium. On first glance it might appear to be an cristate variety of Hart's Tongue fern, Asplenium Scolopendrium. But I know that species well and if you look at the base of the plant you should see that it doesn't have seperate stems joining the fronds to the rhizome as in the normal scolopendrium. Plus the leaves arise from a creeping rhizome rather than radiating from a central one like the scolopendriums I know. I picked this plant up while it was very sick looking (one of my hobbies is nursing sick plants to health). But it only seems to have gotten worse. New fronds sprout but shrivel before they unfold. Maybe I'm overerestimating how damp my house is. Perhaps I should build a terrarium? Well thanks in advance for the suggestions :-)
Agree on the Ctenanthe, and on the Asplenium (although I'm no use on species within those; I just recognise that it's Asplenium.) Where are the aerial roots originating on the spiny/fuzzy one? If it's along the edges of the leaves, check out the Kalanchoes, although I've never seen one fuzzy like that.... My initial knee-jerk was Frailejones (Espeletia) but I have never known them to be sharp - most of them are soft like bunny ears.
The aerial roots arise at random points along the underside of the stem...Yeah the kalanchoe family contains a multitude of freaky plants...I'll look into that.
Aha! I have the identity of the fern. Or two identities actually. It goes by the name Microsorium Punctatum Grandiceps (which would make it a relative of the aquarium Jave Fern*) and by Polypodium Punctatum Granidiceps. Not being a botanist I don't know which is right. It's an interesting plant whatever the name. The similarity to Aspleniums was a red herring it seems. Still no clue about Mr. Hairy though. *Actually not necessarily so. Although many seem to refer to it as Microsorium Pteropus. It's also referred to as Microsorum Pteropus. So which is right?
The fern in question is referred to as both Polypodium and Microsorum punctatum 'Grandiceps,' though it's actually a Microsorum. I had one years ago, but got rather tired of it rather quickly, and the cats kept nipping on it... A similar but more interesting cultivar (in my opinion) is M. punctatum 'Serratum'
I might get bored of it too if it wasn't slowly dying. I've had it for over two years and it hasn't managed to put up a single new frond. I have to confess that I have some trouble with Ferns. I've never even been able to grow Nephrolepis properly. Although Asplenium Nidus does fine with me. I think I'll have to go terrarium all the way...
I think that the Kalanchoe could well be Kalanchoe tomentosa. The brown tips at the ends of the leaves is the main clue. I go with Microsorum punctatum, but with the erect fronds, I think that the variety is more likely to be 'ramosum'. Ciao BrianO
You should be able to grow in under the same conditions as A. nidus... May need repotting, or at least a change of soil if it's not doing much. Ferns are a fickle lot sometimes, and you really have to get a feel for each one individually. I have some that are epiphytes growing in full shade and rich soil, others that are supposed to be at least somewhat mesophytic, but really don't do well as such for me. I have about a dozen Aglaomorpha Coronans that fall in that category...
Kalanchoe tomentosa. Yes! I knew I had a deja-vu feeling about those brown tips. You know, I don't think my one looks exactly like the ones I see in the pictures. Mine is lankier, with fewer and longer hairs and differently shaped leaves. Perhaps it's just variation within the species, but does tormentosa have a "brother"? On the fern front: I had moved the Microsorum away to a brighter room because I thought it was a light issue, but now I moved it back into the group of plants containing my Asplenium Nidus to give it one last open air chance...