It’s not often that we offer ferns in these listings. However, there are a number of species with thick, leathery foliage and some that are even succulent. These can also exhibit CAM metabolism and so qualify as bona fide succulents. The species listed here is named for its place of origin, Thailand, though it also ranges into southern China and Vietnam. Therefore, we have been growing it in our warm propagation house. We are testing its tolerance of typical succulent culture in our cactus house which is drier and cooler at night and in winter. What is remarkable about the plant offered here is its glossy, bluish sheen, especially when wet, reminiscent of a morpho butterfly. This has given it the common name of Blue Oil Fern. Like the butterfly, the color is structural, resulting from the layering of cells in the leaf that refract light of different wavelengths, specifically those in the blue spectrum, in this case, especially when wet. The undersides of the leaves bear a scattering of rather large sori (clusters of sporangia), so the generic name seems a bit of a misnomer for this species. We offer divisions of HBG 123050 from Myron Kimnach in 2014. $50.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 94 (2), Summer 2022