By Emma Rooksby, the co-ordinator of the Growing Illawarra Natives website
The fern I'm talking about this week is pretty well known. It's a staple in nurseries, where it is often seen crammed into small black or orange pots, producing new fronds at a rate of knots in the moist and growth-friendly atmosphere.
Yes, it's the Bird's Nest Fern or Asplenium australasicum.
It's a large, striking and very attractive fern, with its long, broad pale or bright green fronds spreading from its centre, and often occurring on large rocks or trees in rainforests along the east coast of Australia.
In the Wollongong area, you'll come across it along the escarpment. Look up and you might see Bird's Nest Ferns crowning a mighty Small-leaved Fig (Ficus obliqua) like the one along the management trail in Corrimal, or up a Churnwood (Citronella moorei) at the Mount Keira Scout camp. It will also grow on rocks in suitable conditions, and the Mount Kembla (Djembla) and Mount Keira (Djeera) Ring Track both have excellent examples.
I imagine that the name is given to this fern because of its large spreading form, which could possibly be suitable for birds to nest, though I've never a seen a bird nesting in one. High up in the canopy, who knows, maybe Lyrebirds or Brush Turkeys are laying their eggs.
One interesting feature of this fern is that it is extremely adaptable and can turn up in suitable conditions right around the region, including gardens. If you live along the slopes of the escarpment, you may find Bird's Nest Ferns popping up on rock or brick walls in cool and shady situations, such as south-facing walls.
