Cyathea dealbata
| Cyathea dealbata | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 30' |
| Width: | 7' |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Cyathea dealbata (common name: tree fern)
Propagation: Spores - can be surface sown at any time of the year in a light position in a warm greenhouse[1]. Keep moist by standing the pot in shallow water or by enclosing it in a plastic bag. Germinates in 1 - 3 months at 25°c. Prick out patches of the young plants into small pots and stand the pots in shallow water until the plants are well established[1]. Grow on in a shady position in a greenhouse for at least the first two winters and plant out in late spring.
Cultivation: Prefers a humus-rich soil in a sheltered light position but with shade from strong sun. It grows well in light woodland. Requires shelter from winds, an abundance of moisture at its roots and its trunk kept wet[2][3][4].
A very ornamental plant, it succeeds outdoors in woodland conditions in the mildest areas of the country, but it is tender in most parts of Britain[3].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[5].
Range: New Zealand.
Habitat: Lowland to montane forests and shrubland on North, South and Chatham Islands[6].
Edibility: Pith of the stem[7][8][9][10]. Rich in starch, it is normally roasted but can be eaten raw[11]. Descriptions of the taste vary from bitter, sweet, astringent and like a bad turnip[11]. The core of the plant near the growing tip is used[11], do not confuse this with the trunk of the plant, which is made up of a peaty substance from the decaying roots[K]. Harvesting the stem kills the plant so this use cannot normally be condoned[11].
Young leaves - cooked. Harvested just before they unfurl, they are juicy and slimy, tasting like bitter celery[11].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
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[4].
Many ferns also contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this e
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Arnold-Forster, William. Shrubs for the Milder Counties.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Allan, Harry. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer Publications, 1961.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Low, Tim. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson, 1989.