On Thu, 24 Oct 2002 21:22:04 +0100, (Larry
Stoter) wrote:

Serendipity wrote:

Just how hardy are Tree Ferns.
I live in SW UK

John

I would urge you to think twice (and preferably several times more)
before buying a tree fern.

They are very fashionable at the moment but are all taken from the wild.
Tree Ferns are very slow growing and a 4-6 ft specimen can easily be
over 100 years old.

At the moment, some specimens are very common in New Zealand and, as
large areas of ancient New Zealand forest are cleared for development,
the New Zealand government has issued licenses for their export.

An argument is that they would probably be burnt anyway, so why not buy
them and they are very common.

However, would you be happy for 100 year old English oaks to be pulled
up and sold as a sideline for building development in England? And if
you wouldn't, I really don't think you should be buying Tree Ferns,
however "trendy".
.................................................. ..................

Larry,
I bought the Dicksonian because I consider it to be a
beautiful tree, not because it's 'trendy.'

I appreciate the concern you express, but suggest that if everyone
stopped buying shrubs or trees from another country -unless they
were an endangered species of course- our gardens would be diminished
by their absence.

Why don't the developers themselves use these plants?

For what it's worth, I wish you luck with any campaign you may float
against the practice, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

John
.................................................. ................