Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also an accent epiphyte.
Ecological Restoration Notes:
One of the most abundant epiphytic ferns in a wide variety of forests.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description:
Epiphytic or terrestrial fern with numerous erect fronds rising in a tuft from the rootstock. Leaves long and narrow.
Dimensions:
Typically 2-3 feet in height. Mostly taller than broad.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Monroe County Keys north to Volusia, Lake and Citrus counties; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America. In the Monroe County Keys, apparently native only to Key Largo.
Habitats:
A wide variety of swamps and humid forests.
Soils:
Epiphytic, growing on the trunks and branches of trees and shrubs, or terrestrial in moist, well-drained humusy leaf litter; also on rotting logs and on limestone.
Nutritional Requirements:
Moderate; can grow on nutrient poor substrate, but needs some nutrient inputs 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:
Low; requires moist substrate and high humidity and is intolerant of long periods of drought.
Light Requirements:
Light shade.
Flower Color:
N/A.
Flower Characteristics:
There are no flowers; the plants reproduce by spores.
Flowering Season:
All year.
Fruit:
Inconspicuous spores.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from spores. Small plants can be transplanted.
Gann, G.D., M.E. Abdo, J.W. Gann, G.D. Gann, Sr., S.W.
Woodmansee, K.A. Bradley, E. Grahl and K.N. Hines. 2005-2013. Natives For Your Neighborhood. http://www.regionalconservation.org.
The Institute for Regional Conservation. Delray Beach, Florida USA.