I’ve spent the last 60+ years tromping through woodlands across the Eastern US, from Maine to Florida, and west to Texas, and have looked at more Christmas ferns (Polystichum acrostichoides) than you can imagine. Being a diversity freak, I am always looking for odd forms, which are surprisingly rare for this species. I could count on a few fingers, the collections of this species that were actually different, once divisions were transplanted into the garden. Below is a photo of a typical form, from a collection in central Louisiana.
In 2018, local plantsman Zachary Matteen, shared an amazing crested form that he’d discovered. Now that we know if comes true from spores, we should be able to make this available.
In 2022, I discovered the form below, in a an abandoned home farm site less than 10 minutes from JLBG. The photo below is a division of the same plant three years later at JLBG. We have given this the cultivar name, Polystichum acrostichoides ‘Praying Hands’ due to it’s narrower than normal, upwardly folded leaves. The foliage is also intensely dark green, compared to the typical forms. We are trying this from spore to see if it also comes true…fingers crossed.
Could you propagate it by tissue culture ??
Yes, if we could find a willing lab.
Have you seen any forms of Christmas fern that keep their fronds upright during the winter? Although I appreciate the environmental benefit of horizontal fronds in reducing erosion, the designer in me would love to have some that don’t hug the ground over winter.
Our new form P. ‘Praying Hands’ is the best form we’ve ever found to keep the fronds upright all winter.