Orchid growers as well as people with a passion for reptiles and amphibians who are based in the United States can now purchase tree fern products with a clear conscience, as Fernwood Products (NZ) Limited has launched its sustainably sourced products into the US market.

This is good news for anyone who currently uses tree fern or has done so in the past, as the availability of the product has been spotty for several years. Combined with inconsistent quality, many users have simply stopped using the product altogether.

Up until now, Central and South America have been the source for most tree fern in the United States. Unfortunately, poor harvesting strategies and misuse of natural resources has landed tree fern products from these countries under the protection of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

“Fernwood works closely with New Zealand government authorities to ensure that their process is fully transparent and sustainable, and consumers can rest assured knowing that tree fern products harvested and processed by Fernwood NZ are not CITES listed,” says Fernwood’s Export Sales Manager Alan Ford.

“Over the past 25 years, the team has developed a robust system that ensures all harvesting is managed sustainably and that the environment is left as it was found – intact and undisturbed.”

 

 

Users will find the natural properties of the New Zealand Dicksonia species of tree fern to be superior to the Cyathea species typically coming out of the Americas. New Zealand tree fern is soft, porous and spongy, long lasting, and has fantastic moisture holding capabilities. It’s these inherent characteristics that make the products so successful with target markets.

Fernwood has been exporting its tree fern products to Japan, Europe and the UK for decades, and they began working on product configurations for the United States in 2017. Their recent partnership with Acadian Supply, Inc. has made the launch a reality.

 

 

“We wanted to make sure our products were properly tailored to the US market,” Alan says.

“For example, we’ve designed our vivarium panels to align with the dimensions of the most popular vivariums available to US consumers. This will make lining vivarium walls quicker and easier, with minimal to no wasted product,” he explains.

 

Prized as a growing media for orchids and as a key component in the construction of vivariums for the herpetology market, Fernwood tree fern will be available in the USA in both loose fiber and cut panel configurations.

Just next month from October 19-23, orchid hobbyists, enthusiasts, and those who enjoy the beauty of orchids will come together for the 2nd annual International Orchid Show held at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in Los Angeles, California! This year’s show, Elegant Orchids, will also coincide with the American Orchid Society’s Fall Members’ Meeting.

The Huntington Botanical Gardens sits on 120 acres of land and features 16 gardens with 15,000 plant varieties. The gardens was founded in 1903 by Henry Huntington who originally purchased the property formerly used as a ranch and converted it into a beautiful estate. Today, 40 gardeners, a curatorial staff of seven, and more than 100 volunteers maintain the botanical collections, provide educational programs for visitors, and propagate plants that are often included in special sales.

We are honored to sponsor this exceptional event enjoyed by orchid lovers from around the world! We will be on site attending meetings and networking with others in attendance. We will also host a lecture on October 21, October 22, and October 23 from 1:30pm – 2:30pm focusing on “why award winning growers choose Orchiata.” This special presentation will be led by Graham Wood of Lehua Orchids and Garry Clark of Besgrow.

In conjunction with the members’ meeting, The Huntington Botanical Garden will host it’s Orchid Show from 10am-5pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday which is open to the general public. We encourage everyone in the area to stop by and enjoy the beauty of the show. We hope you will leave as inspired as us!

Caring for orchids can seem intimidating. After all, you have probably always heard how delicate they are. We bet you novice growers out there are always impressed when you see someone managing to keep their orchids alive. But caring for an orchid and maintaining it’s beauty isn’t as difficult as it may seem. All you need are the proper resources to help you navigate through your orchid care journey!

To help you keep your orchid beautiful and make it last, we are sharing some of the best Orchid care resources available online…

American Orchid Society: The American Orchid Society’s mission is to promote and support the passion for orchids through education, conservation, and research. Their website is filled with tons of information for beginners and experts. They also feature a helpful orchid glossary as well as an index of common orchid species!

Orchid Web by Orchids Limited: Orchids Limited shared answers to the most frequently asked questions which range from basic orchid care to treating common orchid diseases.

Besgrow: Besgrow, our parent company, shares tips and techniques for growing orchids and other plants with the help of our products, Orchiata and Spagmoss. Their website also features helpful testimonials from customers sharing expert tips you can try at home!

Our Blog: In case you haven’t already guessed, we also share helpful information for orchid growers! Our blog highlights helpful tips for novice growers as well as product guides for expert growers.

Be sure to also check out your local orchid society for local news, events, and tips.

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Send us a note on Facebook and maybe your question will be featured in a future blog post!

If you have shopped for or used sphagnum moss in the past, you may have found yourself confused by the various claims and descriptions found in the market.

The reality is, there are approximately 120 species of sphagnum moss found throughout the world. The physical characteristics and intrinsic qualities (i.e. chemical properties) of these different species can vary greatly. Characteristics of sphagnum moss that are of interest to most users include color, strand length, strand strength and durability, salt accumulation and chemical properties.

One of the most important things to remember when comparing and choosing sphagnum moss is that different species grow in different regions around the globe. So it is important to understand which species are most likely to come from which regions. The table below outlines some of the more popular species on the market today along with a comparative summary of their key characteristics and qualities.

EC = electrical conductivity in milliSiemens / centimeter. EC is a measure of salinity, a factor that influences a plant’s ability to absorb water and nutrients. As salts accumulate and moss breaks down, EC rises and begins to negatively impact the health of the plant.

The best advice – take a few moments to understand the characteristics of the species being offered.  That way, you will be able to accurately determine the quality of product that best meets your needs and expectations.

We are the exclusive importer of premium growing and bedding substrates from New Zealand used by horticulturalists and herpetologists across the United States. Our two main products are Orchiata brand orchid bark and Spagmoss brand sphagnum moss. Renewable by nature, we are proud that these products are also sustainably managed by our supplier, Besgrow.

What does it mean to be sustainable?

According to Merriam-Webster, a sustainable resource is one which is used or harvested in such a way that it is not depleted or permanently damaged.

How is being “sustainable” different from “renewable”?

A renewable product can be restored or replaced by nature or natural processes.  However, if not managed sustainably, nature may lose the opportunity to restore.

Why does being sustainable and renewable matter?

• Renewable products sourced under sustainable methods are less harmful to the environment
• It ensures our products will be available far into the future

How Our Products are Renewable and Sustainable

Orchiata is 100% sourced from New Zealand Pinus radiata bark which is grown in 4.2 million acres of renewable man-made forests for the timber industry.  Harvesting occurs on a 25-30 year life cycle and is specifically managed to ensure continued availability.  Spagmoss is sourced from natural swamps on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island.  The Sphagnum moss is hand-picked allowing us full control of sustainable harvesting. Proprietary processes and technologies are then employed which cut regeneration time in half while allowing the swamp land to continue to develop.

Our raw materials are put through a unique process that takes the raw resource, applies natural processing techniques and ends in the creation of these high quality products.

Besgrow is committed to the sustainable management of natural resources which ensures our eco-friendly products will be available for years to come!

New Zealand Spagmoss is a versatile substrate with uses that range from orchid growing to reptile bedding. Our latest guest blogger uses Spagmoss in its efforts to rescue Eastern Box Turtles.

Introducing Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons!

Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons, Inc. is a Non-Profit 501©3 located in eastern Long Island, New York. We rescue, rehabilitate and release injured local wild turtles.

Our Eastern Box Turtle patients love the Spagmoss! They feel safe hiding and camouflaging in the moss which reduces stress and aids in the recovery process. In order to replicate the humidity levels found in their natural environment, our box turtles are housed in half dry, half moist moss. The moss is incredibly absorbent and retains moisture longer, better regulating the turtles’ hydration levels. Spagmoss has no tough sticks or other debris that could injure our turtles, especially baby hatchlings. We get pure soft moss!

We love the Spagmoss too! Due to the properties of the moss, it reduces the smell of feces and urine, while inhibiting mold and bacterial growth that can slow recovery or cause additional health problems. With no chemicals in the moss, we know our turtles are safe while in our care.

 

We pride ourselves on making sure every turtle has a clean and moist environment which is crucial to their health especially while they heal from their injuries. Spagmoss enables us to do this while keeping the turtles happy, healthy, and safe.  It is the perfect substrate for our 200+ turtle patients we receive annually that are in need of medical assistance.

Visit Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons at turtlerescueofthehamptons.org and “Like” us on Facebook. We are primarily funded by donations and rely on the public to assist in helping us rescue, rehabilitate and release local turtles.  We are on call 24/7 and it is our goal to never have to turn away an injured animal.  

Click here if you’d like to make a tax-deductible contribution to our cause.  Gifts of any size are greatly appreciated.