Botrychium australe
| Botrychium australe | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 1' |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Botrychium australe (common name: parsley fern)
Propagation: Spores - best surface sown as soon as they are ripe in a greenhouse and do not allow the compost to dry out. Placing the pot in a plastic bag helps to maintain a humid atmosphere which promotes germination and growth. Prick out small clumps into pots when they are large enough to handle and keep moist until established. Grow on in a greenhouse for at least the first winter and plant out in late spring.
Division. It is best not to try and disturb this plant[1].
Cultivation: Prefers a sandy loam with just a small portion of peat[2]. Requires sharp drainage[2]. Best grown in an open position[2]. Plants can be difficult to establish. The prothalli (small plants formed when the spores germinate) of this plant form a symbiotic relationship with a mycorrhizal fungus, similar to the association of orchid seedlings with an invading fungus[1].
A very ornamental plant, it is said to require greenhouse protection in Britain[2] but might survive outdoors in the mildest areas of the country.
Some botanists consider this species to be no more than a part of B. ternatum[2].
Unlike most species of ferns, the fronds of this species grow up straight and not curled inward, crozier fashion[3].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[4].
Range: New Zealand.
Habitat: Lowland to montane forest, usually along the edges of clearings[5]. Also found in grassland[6]. North, South and Chatham Islands.
Edibility: Unexpanded shoots[5][7]. No further details are given.
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Known Hazards: Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[1].
Many ferns also contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this e
Also Known As: B. cicutarium. B. ternatum. B. virginianum. non Swartz.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Crowe, Andrew. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton, 1990.
- ↑ Allan, Harry. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer Publications, 1961.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.