Platycerium Elephantotis

The most striking feature of Platycerium Elephantotis is its large bright green shields, which grow so large that P. Elephantotis is sometimes called the lettuce dragon's nest. Its antennae are long, very wide, pointing downwards and have no grooves or lobes along the lower edge. Their large size has earned it another common name, the elephant's ear dragon's nest. Platycerium Elephantotis grows seasonally. Each spring the shields from the previous year die. New shields can grow more upright if the tips of the dead shields are cut off. During the summer, it forms a mass of new shields, and then it grows antennae. This is a pleasant strain in the Vietnamese climate, growing at a moderately fast rate, quite suitable for small spaces. They give birth to quite a lot of babies, so it will be an attractive point for those who like to experiment with separating the baby dragon's nest, but note that you should only separate the babies when they are large enough and not too squeezed by the mother shield.
Hybrids from P. Elephantotis:
· P. Neptune (P. Elephantotis x P. Stemaria)
· P. Erawan (P. Elephantotis x P. Madagascariense)
· P. Antis (P. Elephantotis x P. Andinum)
· P. Chang-Noi (P. elephantotis x P. holttumii)
· P. Ellisotis (P. Elephantotis x P. Ellisii)
· P. Fernbangkok (P. Elephantotis x P. Wandae)
· P. Silver Velvet (P. Elephantotis x P. Willinckii)
· P. Suvanrnabhumii (P. Elephantotis x P. Ridleyi)