Common Name:

General Information

Cibotium menziesii is an evergreen tree fern that usually grows about 3 metres tall though some specimens can reach up to 10 metres[, , ]. The bole can be 75cm in diameter, topped by a rosette of large fronds[]. Individual fronds can be 4 metres or more long[].
The plant is gathered from the wild, mainly for local use as a source of fibre and emergency food supply. A strikingly beautiful tree fern, it deserves to be grown more frequently in the appropriate landscape setting[].

Known Hazards

Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[].
Many ferns also contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase[].

Botanical References

Range

Pacific - Hawaii.

Habitat

An understorey plant in mesic to wet forests, most commonly at elevations from 300 - 1,800 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Fern
Height	6.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of higher elevations in the tropics, it can be cultivated at elevations as low as 90 metres[]. It grows in areas where the mean annual rainfall is in the range 1,250 - 2,500mm[].
Prefers a position in dappled shade in a slightly acidic and well drained soil[]. Plants can tolerate both moist and dry conditions[].
Plants have a very shallow root system[].
Tall plants were traditionally cut down in order to gather the fibre more easily. Since the trunks are basically an entire root structure in themselves, many of the plants were able to grow back with the minimum of damage to forest populations[].

Edible Uses

The uncoiled fronds, known as fiddles, can be cooked and eaten[]. Considered to be delicious by native people when boiled[].

The starchy core of the plant has been eaten as a famine food[]. A single trunk can contain 23 - 32 kilos of almost pure starch and it was considered to be the most important food in lean times[].

Medicinal

A soft, woolly material found around the base of the fronds contains tannins and is astringent. It was used traditionally for dressing wounds and embalming bodies[, ].

The plant is used as an appetizer and blood purifier[]. The pith of the trunk is used in combination with the roots of Curcuma longa, Rumex giganteus and Cordyline fruticosa[]. For weak persons, and some chest pains, the pith is combined with the pith of Sadleria cyatheoides, the bark of Aleurites moluccana), the bark of Syzygium malaccense, the bark of Bobea spp, the root bark of Waltheria indica, Solanum americanum, Senna occidentalis, noni fruits (Morinda citrifolia), and white sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)[].

Agroforestry Uses:

An excellent understorey plant for the landscape to help control erosion[].

Other Uses

A soft, woolly material is found around the base of the fronds[]. Known as pulu, it was used traditionally for dressing wounds, embalming bodies, and for pillow and mattress stuffing[].

Young stems were formerly used to make hats[].

The starch obtained from the trunk has been used as a stiffener for laundry[].

The outer fibrous part of the trunk has been used to line or form baskets for plants[].

The fibrous material of the trunk has been used as an orchid and anthurium growing media[].

Propagation

Spores - these should be collected from mature fronds of healthy plants. The most mature fronds are generally those lower down on the plant. The spore containers (sori) on these fronds should appear full and plump. The frond branches (pinnae) should be removed from the main frond stem and dried in paper bags, envelopes, or folded newspaper packets. Place each frond piece in its own paper container with the spore side down. To ensure that the spores dry quickly and do not go mouldy, place the containers in a single layer in a warm, dry location for 2 or 3 days. The ripe spores will fall off of the fronds. The spores can be separated from the remaining debris using a very fine screen or sieve[].
Sanitation is an important part of sowing fern spores to prevent both fungal infections and cross contamination by other fern spores. Any sowing medium needs to be fully sterilized before sowing the spores. The cleaned spores are spread on the surface of the sterilized mix and moistened with a fine spray of distilled water. Mixing the spores with water and spraying them onto the planting mix can provide more even distribution. Place a lid over the mix in order to prevent contamination and to maintain high humidity[].
Clean, dry spores can be stored in paper envelopes or packets. Place the envelopes in an air tight container and place it in the refrigerator[].

Side shoots that form on the main trunks can be used to form new plants[]. Plants from side shoots tend to grow slower than plants grown from spores[].

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