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Root coat of the tree ferns
Many species of tree ferns attain a height of well over 10 meters. To stabilise
their trunks, taller tree ferns cannot thicken their stems like normal trees.
Instead they enlarge the diameter of their stems with a dense coat of tough,
wire-like roots, that sprout from lower part of the stem. This root coat can
grow very thick indeed, and even has commercial importance.
Sawed into slices, it is sold under its Brazilian name, “Xaxim”, or the term used
in Mexico, “Maquique”. It’s coveted by gardeners as a medium for cultivating orchids
and bromeliads, as its fibers are very solidly intertwined, decay very slowly, and
allow water to drain easily. In general, only tree ferns at least half a century old
are useful for producing Xaxim. Thanks to overexploitation and the ongoing destruction
of the tree ferns‘ natural habitats, the sale of Xaxim has been internationally banned
since 1995. Bromeliad and orchid fanciers have been forced to find alternatives, like
mixtures of coconut fiber and bark.
Audio file download
Root coat of the tree ferns (MP3, 512 KB)
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