Ascension : Ascension Island Conservation Department
Submitted by The Islander (Conservation Office) 05.11.2009 (Article Archived on 19.11.2009)

Horticulture on Ascension - Last week Olivia Renshaw gave an update on the Endemic Plant Project.

I have just finished my first month involved with this exciting project, where my main role is in horticulture.

As ferns are slow to establish into sizeable plants from spores, I've taken it as my first task to commence with the propagation trials with the least known endemic species. In particular, the Xiphopteris ascensionense fern gives a horticultural challenge. It is part of a little known group of ferns that have always been rare in cultivation, and have probably never been propagated in large numbers.

If you have good eyesight you might have come across this lovely fern on the way to Dewpond – it is seen all along the path here, growing on moss attached to stems of bamboos. The main difficulty in cultivation comes from recreating the very humid, fresh-air conditions just a little lower, in the nursery near garden cottage. There are many ways this could be achieved, and mature plants have been taken into cultivation (carefully to avoid any damage to the natural population), all treated in different ways. Trials are also under way to find out if this species can be grown from spores using “conventional” fern propagation methods or if more sophisticated methods need to be utilised.

Asplenium ascensionis, another small endemic fern presents similar problems though it is part of a genus that is well established in cultivation and this can give clues to success with its propagation. It is also a little less demanding in habitat requirements, being found growing in cracks of rock faces and old walls. The third of the ferns not yet grown in large numbers, Marattia purpurascens, presents different problems again, as this genus is notoriously difficult to grow from spores.

While we're waiting for signs of growth in the nursery, we've been busy planting ferns back to the restoration area and getting on with the plant census work. Another visitor from Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Marcella Corcoran has just arrived to the Island for two weeks, and she will assist with our work in the nursery and the rest of the project.

Matti Niissalo

Horticultural Project Officer

Conservation Department

Volunteers welcome. Please contact Olivia Renshaw or Natasha Williams. Ascension Island Conservation Department. Georgetown. Tel: 6359. Email:  olivia.renshaw@ascension.gov.ac

natasha.williams@ascension.gov.ac