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Xerophytic Ferns at the UC Botanic Garden at Berkeley

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Next up on my long weekend of garden touring last March (there’s a recap of our stops thus far at the bottom of this post) was the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley. I hadn’t visited the garden since 2014 and several things had changed in those 11 years. First up was a fabulous display of xerophytic ferns near the entrance.

 “We commonly associate ferns with moist habitats like forests, wetlands, and tropical rainforests, but there are actually species that thrive in desert environments.” (UCBG Berkeley website)

Truth be told dryland ferns are a big part of what pushed me into a love of ferns… it’s one thing to have a shady fern garden, but tell me that ferns can also be happy in the sun, next to an agave (or yucca) and I’m in, 100%!

I was so excited about this display that I had to photograph every fern and it’s label. I’m sure I tried the patience of my companions, Gerhard and , but I could not tear myself away. I was methodical in my documenting, and I also looked up every name online to make sure it looked reasonably like my photo as I completed this post. That said I heard from a dryland fern expert that the names assigned to these specimens were not completely accurate. Names change, people move signage, ferns are confusing and dryland ferns even more so. Still… I hope I’ve correctly identified the ferns in these photos and help to get you excited about the possibilities…

Astrolepis windhamii (Windham’s scaly cloakfern), Jeff Davis County, Texas
Cheilanthes buchtienii (lip fern), Argentina (yes this does look a lot like the photo above…)
Myriopteris rufa (lip fern), Gillespie County, Texas
Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata (bird’s-foot fern), Monterey County, California
Cheilanthes bonariensis (Bonaire lip fern), Nuevo Leon State, Mexico
Close up
Myriopteris notholaenoides (lip fern), Nuevo Leon State, Mexico
It looks a little autumnal with all the dry leaves, but it really was early spring.
Astrolepis laevis (cloak fern), Nuevo Leon State, Mexico
Cheilanthes fendleri (Fendler’s lip fern), Cochise County, Arizona
(same)
(same)
Myriopteris aurea (lip fern), Oaxaca State, Mexico
Close up
Cheilanthes bonariensis
(same)
Cheilanthes mathewsii, Argentina

A little more than half way through…
Myriopteris wootonii (Wooton’s lace fern), Santa Cruz County, Arizona
(same)
(same)
(same)
Bommeria hispida (hairy bommara), Cochise County, Arizona
(same)
Myriopteris myriophylla (lip fern), Argentina
(same)

Myriopteris covillei (lip fern), Graham County, Arizona
So that’s their xerophytic fern collection, pretty impressive I thought. On Wednesday I’ll share my collection of dryland ferns.

A recap of the long weekend, in case you’re curious and have lost track of our adventures… 
THURSDAY: I flew down to Sacramento, CA, on March 27th. Gerhard picked me up and we were off to walk his garden in Davis, which would be home base until I flew out on Monday. My first post was a quick look at the people and the plants of the weekend, and here’s my post on Gerhard’s garden.
FRIDAY: we started the day at Kyle’s garden in Sacramento, and then hit the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, Part One, Part Two. Then we stopped by East Bay Wilds Native Plant Nursery in Oakland. After that we headed down to Livermore, CA where we saw Tracy’s garden.
SATURDAY: we kicked off the day and Max and Justin’s garden (Part One, Part Two) and then went to Ann Nichol’s garden. Next was a quick drive-by garden and then Marcia Donahue’s (Part One, Part Two, Part Three). David Neumaier’s garden was our final planned garden of the day (Part One, Part Two), but we hit one more drive-by on our way home. 
SUNDAY: I’ve posted about the visit to Curious Flora, and now I’m working on the UC Botanic Garden at Berkeley. WOW!
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I have a little orchard of around 50 fruit trees, and thought I would post here too for anyone planning their orchard/ food forest type setup, as it is kind of relevant. Just a bit of advice. I also have a big garden which I really enjoy. :)

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Firstly, don’t grow things you don’t like to eat. Unless you want to swap or gift to neighbors.

Make sure you plant early and late season varieties of the same crop. Take apples for example, some crops will be ready early summer, and some will last well into Autumn. This means you won’t get a glut of apples all at once, also if you have a freak early or late storm, at least you will get some apples for the year. Also if it is a wet spring, or humid summer, you have a chance of one of the crops being just fine in regards to disease.

Check what varieties are growing well at the local farmers market in your area. Talk to growers, and see what they have success with. Understand what varieties have been fruiting well for a long time in the local area and plant that.

Put the things you use all the time, or that need constant attention close to your house. I have herbs and salad greens etc right by the back door, but also a lemon tree, and chickens not too far away either.

Sometimes things die. It’s ok. Plant something else.

If the weather permits, try and and plant things that fruit in winter too. I have new fruit varieties coming on every month. It keeps things interesting.

Just plant what you can manage. If you do too much it can be overwhelming. Slowly build up your property, it’s ok to do so. Please yourself 😊.

Happy growing!

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I have a little orchard of around 50 fruit trees, and thought I would post here too for anyone planning their orchard/ food forest type setup, as it is kind of relevant. Just a bit of advice. I also have a big garden which I really enjoy. :) Read More »

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