Fernflower

the Fernflower is a large, long-petaled flower that grows once a year on a long stem surrounded by multple leafy fronds. for most of the year the stem is bare and only the fronds grow. but in the autumn a long, twisting bud appears, growing to a length of 8 or 9 inches before opening on the last full moon before the winter solstice. it remains open for a single day and night, and afterwords withers and dies. if it is successfully polinated it will bear fruit, growing into an inedible gourd that is often used for decorative purposes and in some ceremonial rites.

the plant can continue to grow indefinitely if well-tended or in a favourable environment. even if the flower dies on the stem without fruiting, it will grow again next year. to produce a wholy new plant, the flower must be successfuly pollinated, which is very difficult. the flower will only blossom one night and day of the year, and will die the next morning. only a single flower grows per plant. the flower itself is bisexual, having both stimen and ovum. however, a second flower is still necessary to polinate. two Fernflower plants can pollinate eachother. the gourd that grows from the stem of the plant will take only a few weeks to be mature enough to seed, though it is tiny at this point. it will continue to grow until spring, and then it dies. each seed of the gourd can grow into a new Fernflower plant. it takes 6 months to germinate, and after that another 6 months to sprout. on the autumn of the following year the plant will bud for the first time.

the Fernflower squash seed takes 6 months to germinate and a further 6 months to sprout. after that it grows to its first budding at the beginning of autumn the following year. the flower, once bloomed, can be picked and, if freshly used, brewed into a potion that will revive the recently deceased if the subject is willing to return to life.

the plant requires arid conditions but needs some groundwater. it grows best in desert climates near a source of underground water. a mix of sandy soil and clay is best, with partial shade. the fern fronds will stay leafy from spring through autumn, but in the winter they close and sometimes wither. the flower buds in the autumn, but will not blossom until the last full moon before the winter solstice, and only stays open for a single night and day. afterwards, the flower closes again and quickly withers and dies. if the flower fruits, the squash grows throughout the winter, but dies in the spring as it cannot handle the intense heat. Fernflower squash are farmed by the Sun Elves of Silneval and the Gold Dwarves of Lakhadum.