Acrostichum danaeifolium
giant leather fern
Southeastern US, Caribbean, and tropical America
Overview
Acrostichum danaeifolium is a large evergreen fern in the brake family, forming dense clumps of stiff, upright, leathery fronds 3-12 feet (0.9-3.7 m) tall from a thick rootstock. Each frond is once-divided (pinnate), with many narrow, leathery leaflets along a stout stalk, dark green and smooth. Fertile fronds and leaflet sections carry a dense rust-brown coating of spore cases on their undersides, while sterile leaflets stay green. New fronds unfurl from coiled fiddleheads at the clump center. The fern does not flower, reproducing instead by wind-blown spores and by spreading from its rootstock. The species grows in freshwater and brackish wetlands, mangrove margins, swamps, ditches, and pond edges across Florida, the Gulf and Caribbean region, and tropical America. It tolerates wet, mucky, and somewhat salty soils and full sun to part shade. The large clumps form thickets in wet ground. It is sensitive to hard freezes.
Native Range
Acrostichum danaeifolium is native to the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America. In the United States it grows mainly in Florida, in freshwater and brackish wetlands, mangrove edges, cypress swamps, ditches, and pond margins.Suggested Uses
Used in rain gardens, pond and water-garden edges, and wetland or mangrove restorations in warm climates within its range. The large clumps screen and fill wet, difficult ground where few other plants grow. Its eventual size suits large gardens and naturalized wet areas rather than small beds.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height3' - 12'
Width/Spread4' - 8'
Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years
Bloom Information
As a fern it does not flower. It reproduces by spores borne in rust-brown patches on the undersides of fertile fronds, produced through the warm months. Spores are released to the wind, and the clump also spreads from its rootstock.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to part shade with four or more hours of light. Wet, mucky, or consistently moist soils suit it, including freshwater and brackish ground, and it tolerates standing water and some salt. It does not tolerate drying out, and soil is kept moist to wet at all times. The large clumps spread, so open, damp ground gives room to develop. It is sensitive to hard frost and is grown outdoors mainly in frost-free or nearly frost-free climates. Older fronds are removed as they brown.Pruning
Pruning is limited to cutting away old, browned, or damaged fronds at the base. New fiddleheads replace them from the center of the clump. No shaping is needed on this large fern.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
early spring
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 7 gallons