I have two nice mounts of staghorn ferns. The first picture is of twin, 3 year old staghorns mounted on a 100 year old slab of cypress, taken from a swampy area in Mississippi. The second pic is of twin, 1 1/2 year old staghorns mounted on a unique slab of natural Porteguese cork. The regular pricing for the cypress mounted staghorns is $34.95, and the regular pricing for the cork mounted staghorns is $27.95. For ATP members, the prices are $27.95, and $22.95 respectively. Contact me if interested.

Ken, are these easy to take care of? Are they epiphytes or do they need a lot of water? How do you water? Thanks for any info! I have a new kitty who likes to nibble plants, so now I'm transitioning to mounted plants or plants on HIGH shelves!

Epiphytes.

Though they are epiphytes, they can be grown mounted or in pots. I have them growing both ways. I prefer the mounted plants simply because that is the way they grow in nature and their fronds cascade more naturally when growing upright. They are extremely easy to grow, only needing good, indirect light (no direct sun unless it is early morning or late afternoon), watering every week when then they are young (and then even less so as they grow), and 1/2 strength, general purpose fertilizer in the early spring and again in mid-summer. That's it! Be advised that I send complete care instructions, that goes into greater detail, with all my plants.

The two pics you see are of only two mounts. I have lots of other mounted and potted staghorns. The price can be as little as $12.95 + 9.95 shipping, all the way up to well over $50 + shipping. It just depends on size/age of the plant, whether it is mounted or not, and the mount. Please contact me if you have interest or want to see pics of other staghorns I have.

P. S. We have a cat too, so I know exactly what you mean.

Ken

Ken, I definitely will purchase the one on the cypress mount. So very cool!! I will send you a T-Mail to work out particulars when I'm back at my desk in a couple hours. I will check out your tropicals site - maybe will order more!

Thank you so much for your interest in my staghorns. I have some really neat ones on unusual mounts. I look foreward to working with you.

Ken

Do you have pictures or a web site we can go to

As a matter of fact I do. It is www.tropicalplantsandmore.com. It will give you an idea of what I have, but the site was created almost a year ago and I have lots more tropical plants than shown there. For example, I have 200-250 orchid plants, though the website only shows a handful of them. Here is just an example of some of my smaller orchid plants.

Ken

You have beautiful Tillandsias too Those are my favorites. I always enjoy looking at them.
Ivy D.

Thank you, Ivy. Here are a few pics that you might find interesting. The last pic shows some of my 200+ orchid plants. These are small ones in 3 1/2 - 4" pots.

Ken

Wow, Ken, with so many orchids, you must have a lab where you hand pollinate, germinate, etc? I've heard that's REALLY hard, mostly because the environment has to be just right. Sounds so interesting though! Your plants are awesome!

Thanks, Sherril. One of my two greenhouses is dedicated to orchids. My small orchids reside there throughout the year. When I bring in all my blooming-size ones that are hanging under oak trees during the spring, summer and early fall, the greenhouse is jam packed. From now until mid-November is when I REALLY get active in selling orchids. I need the room! This is just a sampling. I need to start posting some of what I have under "Co-ops" forum.

Oooooh. Wish I could buy them all Alas, I can't!

I am a orchid lover but i had a bad problem with mine and freezing temps i have not had the guts to start investing again in them. I will tell you that Ken and I have been friends and chatted about a lot of things and he is a plant lover and will only sell top notch plants.


ONE day i will take and start my collection again

Good for you, Mike. Never forget that growing plants is a labor of love. Sometimes the best of what we grow is what we think are the most difficult. Growing orchids are no more difficult than any other tropical plant, sometimes even less difficult. They have their wants and needs, as do all plants. Challenges are what makes life interesting. If everyone could do it, what is the fun, what is the sense of accomplishment?

Ken

Thank you for the nice photos of the tillandsias, I have a few little ones that survived the summer. I also like the staghorn ferns too, but I can't keep them alive in my environment. Indoors, no natural sunlight and very dry air in the winter. Or else I would try another one or two. I find them to be a very elegant and stately plant when they are mounted. Love the fronds.

Ivy

Ivy have you thought of putting a staghorn fern in your bathroom? They love the regular misting...

Ivy, may I ask where do you live? If you can grow tillandsias, you can grow staghorn ferns and orchids. Staghorns actually require less light than tillandsias, so indirect light is fine. They don't like direct sunlight and if they get sunlight between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, their fronds will "sunburn". Same for orchids. If you can mist your tropical plants weekly during their growing season (March-September), amd bi-weekly during the fall and winter months, regardless of what species they are, they will do well.

Ken

The staghorn plants will not live in my apartment for a long period of time. I live in NYC. and all of my plants live under a couple of plant lights. I really don't have any space to do much growing because of Torrie my cat and everything must be high up on the wall etc. As for the small bathroom that I have, it is too dark and I would never see it because I am not home during the day. I can't leave the light on all day either. My bathroom is not steamy in the winter, I have too much heat but the air is dry and unfortunately they start to die.
I am interested and will think about getting a "plant" present for myself this month. I just ordered a overpriced Beefsteak Begonia plant this week so I don't know about getting another plant so soon. Just thinking.........hmmmm, another plant? Sounds good.

Ivy

Thanks for the reply, Ivy. I now understand your situation better and see the difficulty you would have growing plants. It is a real bummer, loving plants and not being able to grow them. I feel fortunate living in a small town, having a house and yard (full of large oak trees), and having two greenhouses. My only complaint is that I have to move all my tropical plants inside for the fall and winter months, but compared to your situation, that is a tiny "bother". Since I have always lived in the South and have had at least one greenhouse most of my adult life, I see that I am the lucky one. If there is any tropical plant that I grow that you might have interest in, let me know.

P. S. If you are a college football fan, watch the Mississippi State vs Auburn game on ESPN, noon Saturday. You might just see me. College sports is another passion of mine, and that game will be my 404 consecutive football game to attend, games spanning over a thirty-five year period of time.

Ken Ramsey, Certified Mississippi Master Gardener