Fern flower: myth or reality?

Fern plants appeared on Earth more than 400 million years ago, long before the birth of the first man. Our ancestors endowed them with magical properties. For example, legends say about the existence of their rare flowers. Let's see if this can be true.

Botanical description of the culture

The fern is one of the most ancient herbaceous plants. Wild species grow in forests and in the marshes of the tropics and subtropics. In the world there are more than 10 thousand species of this plant.

Did you know? The scientific name of the culture Pteridium aguillinum can be translated from the Latin as "wing of an eagle."

The fern has an unusual structure from a botanical point of view: it has not changed much over millions of years. The root and part of the stem of the plant grows in the soil. What appears to be leaves at first glance is the branch system, which is colored green, and is called vayi.

As they grow, they resemble large snails, which gradually unfold. The fern family is propagated by spores. This ancient plant contains a large amount of easily digestible proteins, starch, vitamins E and B2. It is an effective analgesic, has a general beneficial effect on the body, is used as an ingredient for pharmaceuticals.

Read also about the types and cultivation at home of the fern nephrolepis.

Does it bloom?

Legends of the holiday of Ivan Kupala say that the fern blooms for only one moment. If you have time to break it when it happens, the lucky person acquires extraordinary abilities.

According to legend, closer to midnight a wand is shown from the branches, which wavers from side to side, confusing adventure seekers. Exactly at 12 o'clock the fern flower itself unfolds. Legends diverge about the magical properties of culture, the way to escape from the "evil forces" and other details, but they all argue that flowering fern exists.

It is not known why these legends arose, but there is no scientific evidence for them. None of the representatives of the fern group unable to grow a flower.

We advise you to read about the cultivation and types of fern Adiantum.

Conditions for growing ferns

If the arguments of flower growers sound unconvincing to you and you want to check the veracity of the legends about flowering in person, it is not necessary to look for ferns on Ivan Kupala night. It is much more interesting to grow a culture by yourself, watching its entire life cycle. Fern plants grow in gardens and flower pots. These types of decorative, but they differ from wild relatives only beauty.

Find out what care measures will be needed for ferns: pellee, pteris, platicerium, cirtomium, polypodium, davallii, polioridniku.

Culture grows in a loose mixture of land and peat. For him choose a place in the shade or with ambient lighting. The soil should always be wet: you can not constantly alternate periods of drought and marshiness. At home, fronds need periodic water spraying. The fern looks the same when there is a surplus of moisture, and when the environment is too dry: its branches turn yellow and dry.

Important! The plant does not need additional feeding or other care, the basis of its cultivation is the proper watering..

The optimum ambient temperature is + 23 ... +25 ° C, but most species withstand frost well.

Fern blooms only in old legends. Are there any truth in them? In the real world, people can enjoy only the magnificent wyai of this hardy culture, especially since growing it is easy.

Watch the video: What Can We Learn From Myths? While Playing Fern Flower (March 2024).