The specie name prionitis means like a saw, this fern has
toothed pinna margins.
Habitat
On ground or boulders along streams or river courses, deep
shade in wet coastal forests.
Distribution in South Africa
Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal
Distribution worldwide
Africa, Madagascar, Comoro and Mascarene Islands.
Cultivation
I have established that Asplenium prionitis makes a great very
easy to grow houseplant, growing well indoors under relatively high light
conditions but they do not tolerate full sun conditions for long without
burning.
My plants originate for a small plant that I collected in
the forest on the eastern side of the Wentworth hospital in Durban about 40
years ago.
Asplenium prionitis appear to grow in any well drained growing
medium that has a high organic component. My plants are presently growing well
in a mixture of coco fiber chips with a little added charcoal.
Watering
I water heavily about once per week to flush out the growing
medium and mist daily using an insecticide sprayer.
The sprayer I use to water and feed my plants
Fertilizing
I feed frequently using a very dilute amount of a variety of
plant feeds such as
EasyGro™ Flower and Fruit
is a 3:1:6(46) water soluble fertilizer, high in
concentrations of Potassium ideally suitable for crops during the flowering and
fruiting stages.
SEAGRO™ Bio-Fertiliser
Bionutrient with Enhanced Amino Acids. A fish emulsion rich
in micro & macro elements and 17 amino acids. Seagro is used as organic fertilizer
in agricultural practices for maintenance of crop health. Seagro has a
remarkable impact on crop quality as well as yield through the activation of
key metabolic processes. Seagro serves not only as a nutrition and stress
reliever, but also plays an important role in the vitality of the microbial
population in the soil.
Nitrosol Original Biological Fertiliser
is the original formulation developed by Dr. Peter Kauzal, a veterinary surgeon, from ruminant blood and bone. Nitrosol Original has a balanced NPK of 11.5.7 plus trace elements and minerals and recommended for use in all horticultural crops and home garden.
Fulvic acid.
Fulvic acid is group of chemicals formed when plants and
animals break down. It is found in the humus (organic matter) part of soil and
peat, and is also found in streams and lakes.
Fulvic acid benefits of increases root respiration and
formation,enhance
plant growth and yield. Humic fulvic acid can enhances pH buffering capacity, enhances
photosynthesis and respiration, increases cationic exchange.
Brings about an improvement in the transport of nutrients,
making them available in the areas of need. Increases the synthesis of proteins
and nucleic acids, which will facilitate the action of enzymes formed with some
amino acids and micro-nutrients.
Tea
I also feed and mist regularly with a week solution of both
black tea and rooibos tea which appears to be very beneficial to both my ferns
as well as my orchid plants.
Propagation
Asplenium prionitis propagates very easily from spores if
one has the patience to wait a few years for a good sized mature plant, the
plus factor is that one can easily propagate large numbers of new plants.
The method that I use is to obtain a large glass jar into
which a place a layer of small crushed stone topped with a thin layer of silica
sand used for swimming pool filters. Over this layer I place a thin layer of peat
or coco peat that is salt free onto which I sprinkle the ripe spore. To water I
use a small insecticide spray bottle watering enough that the water creates a
small reservoir of water approximately half way up the crushed stone. I then
cover the jar with a piece of cling wrap that can be fastened by an elastic
band of piece of string and place the jar in an area of bright light that does
not receive and direct sunlight or under lights giving around 5,000 lux for
between 12 -14 hours.
Pest control
To date I have not encountered pests on my plants however I treat
them on a regular basis As I do with my other indoor plants as a precaution
because other Asplenium species that I grow are prone to soft scale and mealie
bug attack. In the past I sprayed my plants which entailed the use of spray
overalls, googles and respirator which was a major task and was both hazardous
to my health as well as made the entire house stink for a day or two. Furthermore,
this process needed to be repeated on a regular basis. I now use a granular Insecticide
with great success and no fuss at all. The product that I use is , Efekto Granules
Plus active ingredient Imidacloprid (chloro-nicotinyl) which I apply to the
roots and is taken up by the roots and evenly distributed to the entire plant
which is highly effective against most sucking insects and provides long term control
between 4 – 8 weeks. Efekto Granules Plus is a Neonicotinoid a class of
neuro-active insecticides chemically similar to nicotine compared to
organophosphate and carbamate insecticides, neonicotinoids are less toxic to
birds and mammals, and therefore very safe to use within the home environment.
However, Neonicotinoid has a very bad name for very good
reasons for widespread agricultural use, for reasons that do not apply at all for
very limited indoor use, in fact it is an ideal insecticide for indoor
application due to its low toxicity for humans and its very targeted use in comparison
to sprayed insecticides.. Neonicotinoids have been studied in relation to
adverse ecological effects, including honey-bee colony collapse disorder (CCD),
and declining populations of insect-eating birds. In 2013, the European Union
and some neighbouring countries restricted the use of certain neonicotinoids. In
2018 the EU banned the three main neonicotinoids (clothianidin, imidacloprid
and thiamethoxam) for all outdoor uses, but in 2020, France re-allowed the use
of neonicotinoids on sugar beet crops. Several US states have restricted
neonicotinoids out of concern for pollinators and bees.
