Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Specific Families and Genera => Ferns => Topic started by: annew on November 14, 2018, 10:16:10 AM
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Does anyone out there grow the UK species of Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria), or any of the North American species?
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Botrychium lunaria from wikipedia
CC BY-SA 4.0
File:Botrychium lunaria (Vanoise).JPG
Created: 1 July 2008 by Abalg
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
Frond, background squares are 5mm across
CC BY-SA 3.0
File:Botrychium lunaria frond.JPG
Created: 3 July 2012 by Robert Matthews
Location: 56° 53′ 13.52″ N, 3° 24′ 58.29″ W
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Hi Anne
I do not know anything about the cultivation status of Botrychium species in California (you inquired about North American Species).
I can tell you that we have 6 species that have been found within ENF (Eldorado National Forest, California), Botrychium ascendens, B. crenulatum, B. minganense, B. montana, B. paradoxum, and B. simplex. All are extremely uncommon. Botrychium simplex is on the ENF Watch List (i.e. an even higher level of sensitivity to habitat disruptions – rarely seen even by trained botanist). I have had a number of recent discussions with ENF Botanist concerning these species. All appear to be highly sensitive to habitat disruptions and seem to demand very specific growing conditions (i.e. some species are associated with Incense Cedar, Calocedrus decurrens, etc.).
At one time Sceptridium multifidum was included within the genus Botrychium. This species is more common in ENF, however it is still not commonly seen. Unfortunately, I know nothing about its cultivation status either.
I wish that I could be more helpful. Maybe this information will lead you toward more detailed information on the Genus in North America.
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Anne if your old man doesn't know then who does ::)
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In my experience, Botrychium (Sceptridium) multifidum is easy to transplant and cultivate. Propagation is probably beyond the abilities of most gardeners, though (my plants came from a friend's property that was being partially cleared).
James
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Hi James, can you tell us how you transplanted them?
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Botrychium lunaria is quite common in Alps (as opposed to the others species which are rare to very very rare). I've transplanted some this summer but I don't know if it has succeeded. There's still a bud as far as I can see. Botrychium seems quite like Ophioglossum (same family). When resting, it has a bud and roots nearly like a perenial plant. From this doc (http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/mss/volume02/Flora_of_China_Volume_2_3_Ophioglossaceae.pdf), it seems that Botrychium doesn't make any stolon (Ophioglossum does).
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Anne, I have tried for some years to find nurseries that supply our smaller native ferns. I don,t know if the lack of availability is because they are subject to endangered status or not garden-worthy. Perhaps the "older" nurserymen no longer have plants on their nurseries. I would not buy any plants from a supplier if I thought the plants came from the wild.
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We have Botrychium lunaria at our mountain cabin. There it is quite common. I have never transplanted it but it seems to be fairly quick from spores as small plants often appear in new places, also where the soil is new and not containing roots.
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If I remember correctly Botrychium has a mycorrhizal association with a fungus at the gametophyte stage which I guess would make it tricky to raise from spores.
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I once got a load of Hemlock bark, partially decomposed and at least two species of Botrychium appeared to spontaneously appear including Moonwort. This was in Upstate New York, USA outside of Albany