Huge Tree Fern on Mt. Khogi

[Phil]

For some of you who visited New Caledonia on the 2000 Biennial trip, you might remember the huge tree ferns on Mt. Khogi that towered overhead at least 50 feet or more.  They had trunks the size of telephone polls.  In and amongst them were the Burretiokentia khogiensis.  Does anyone know anything about this species?  Name?  I'd suspect they'd grow here in So Cal and yet I've never seen one.  I've talked to various people in the Fern Society (experts) and no one even knows of this species.

Anybody have any info on this tree?

Phil

[alan.oz]

This would be Cyathea novae-caledonia the worlds largest tree fern.

I see on the davesgarden website it is being grown in California.

[Darold Petty]

Garrin Fullington is growing this fern near Hilo.  It is much superior to the ones common in California, since it is sef-cleaning.  Garrin's plant was perfect, while adjacent 'Brentwood' ferns had several hanging, dead fronds.

[Peter]

I'm lucky enough to have one of these growing in Southern Cal.  I got it from a friend this spring, and it's been growing great since I planted it out.  Let's hope it has some cold tolerance.  For those interested, another friend of mine has recently germinated a ton of spore, so they might be available in a few years...  Here's mine(sorry for the lousy photo).

At the same time as I got the C. nouvea-caledoneae, I also got a Cyathea sp. from Costa Rica.  I've seen a large one in a Los Angeles area garden and it looks like it's going to be huge, already having quite a large spread and no trunk formed yet.  It too has grown extremely fast this summer, faster than my C. brentwood's:

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Down here we have Dicksonia antarctica growing in the wetter areas of the state i have seen some near Mt Wellington around 40" tall (8 km from where i live)

[Phil]

Alan and Peter,

Over the years I've tried to gather information on this species but with little results.  I just did an MSN websearch on Cyathea novae-caledonia and absolutely nothing comes up.  I've seen mention of other Cyathea species from N.C., but the pictures didn't seem to be as gandiose as the one I seek.  Peter, have your friend contact me.  I'd be interested in a good number of these.  For those of you reading this and not familiar with these plants, they are indeed impressive!~

Phil

phil.bergman@junglemusic.net

[Peter]

Phil, the correct spelling is Cyathea novaecaledoniae-you should be able to find some info on the web about it.  One site that is a good resource for all NC plants is endemia.nc, although it's in French.  Here is the link for the C. novaecaledoniae:  http://endemia.nc/plante/fiche.php?code=107

Also, this website has some information on various tree ferns:

http://www.angelfire.com/bc/eucalyptus/treeferns/

Phil, you might also want to contact the American Fern Society as they distribute fern spore from time to time-they have offered  C. novaecaledoniae in the past.

[Phil]

Peter,

Thanks.  I contacted multiple people from the LA Fern Soc and no one even knew of this species.  The link above does demonstrate the massive base of the trunks, but they are quite rough shots.  I tried to post a photo here of the crown, but out server here won't accept its format.  

I'll further research it.

Phil

[Palm Hound]

My brother took a trip to Samoa and he says there are some massive tree ferns there. What species could that be?

[Kris]

Dear Peter  

that link of your's is fentastic and even i love giant tree ferns and that site with all the beautiful pictures was a real fest to our eyes..

love,

Kris  

[Don Little]

Phil

Are you sure your not thinking of King fern, (Angiopteris evecta)?  From what I've read these are the largest Ferns in the world but takes  a long time for any trunk is formed

[Phil]

For years I have had Tree Ferns in my garden.  They are a wonderful complement to the tropical palms.  Here, the best ones I've found are the Brentwoods.  But, the ones from New Caledonia would blow away the Brentwoods in terms of their stature.  Angiopteras are wonderful.  Every year I have a few and, in a weak moment, end up selling them at the nursery.  One of these days I'll actually put one in my garden.  I think they are a bit difficult, but perhaps can be grown in the best areas of So Cal.

Phil

[Peter]

I've seen an Angiopteris evicta growing in a Los Angeles garden...

[SirOxylon]

I saw Cyathea novaecaledoniae on Mt Koghis on a recent trip that I was on collectig ferns for scientific study. The ferns in question are definitely C. novaecaledoniae. There is a creekline on the Lavoix property on the east side of the mountain where I saw this species. I went past them at first because I thought they were a flowering tree species. In the same creek there were some exceptional Angiopteris specimens but these are just dwarfed by the Cyathea. My colleagues and I have never seen anything that approaches the size of C,. novaecaledoniae. An exceptional species.