General Landscape Uses:
Fern beds.
Availability:
Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida.
Description: Medium herbaceous fern 1-3 feet tall forming colonies by underground runners. Erect fronds deeply loped with toothed edges.
Dimensions: Typically 1-3 feet in height.
Growth Rate: Fast.
Range:
Eastern and southern United States south to Monroe and Broward counties.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.
Habitats: Swamps and wet hammocks.
Soils: Wet to moist, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, with humusy top layer, sometimes with acid pH.
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance: Moderate to low; requires moist to wet soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements: Light shade to moderate shade.
Flower Color: N/A
Flower Characteristics: There are no flowers; the plants reproduce by spores.
Fruit: Inconspicuous spores.
Horticultural Notes: Tolerates standing water.
References: Mellichamp (
2014), Wunderlin and Hansen 2011
Comments: We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page.
