[...any idea what type of fern this is? I found it outside mine on the pavement, I'm assuming the kids from up the road had been pulling them up!]





Also.... does anyone know if I can save it? Here's the picture of the bottom, there's no roots, but I'm wondering if some root hormone powder on damp growing medium will promote it to produce roots?!

Asplenium scolopendrium.. there's a few cultivars but that looks much like a straight species which is often sold in garden centres.

http://www.google.co.uk/search...

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN JRSBUGS!!

[...I collected some spores from it, hoping I will get to see the fern growing cycle, as it's the oldest plant in existence and I find it beautiful! I will update if I get any results!]

It's quite easy to grow ferns from spores, I've done it. Sprinkle spore on the surface of an organic leafy compost mixed with a little gritty soil and wet thoroughly. Use an ordinary seed tray, place in a fairly shady spot preferably in a greenhouse if you have one which gets a lot of shade. Don't allow it to dry, but don't get it too soggy wet either. You will see fluffy green stuff for a start which will turn to a livery texture, then these will start to grow small fronds from them. You can transplant sections of it at this stage but I think they are best left to thin themselves out with the strongest taking over, wait until the ferns are well established before separating which could take 2 to 3 years, then transplant into individual pots to grow on.

I found a colony of these ferns up the road in a broken down wall, by a busy road, they have grown into the cracks happily. I think this is so wonderful how they have managed to thrive in such a unsuitable environment! I will get the spores down on compost this Friday! I will update here on the progress!