Gleichenia microphylla
scrambling coral-fern
Eastern Australia, New Zealand, and the southwest Pacific
Overview
Gleichenia microphylla is an evergreen fern that forms dense, tangled thickets 3-10 feet (1-3 m) high from wiry, long-creeping rhizomes. The fronds branch repeatedly into forked segments, each lined with many small rounded pinnules 0.04-0.12 inch (1-3 mm) wide, giving the foliage a finely divided outline. New growth unrolls from hairy crosiers at the branch forks and is pale green, hardening to mid- or yellow-green. Rhizomes spread laterally near the soil surface, and successive tiers of fronds layer over one another to build an impenetrable mass. Spores form in small clusters of a few sporangia on the underside of the pinnules and ripen through the warmer months. The plant grows in permanently wet ground and declines where the soil dries out, which restricts it to swamp margins, seepage lines, and stream banks. It is slow to establish from spores or divisions and spreads steadily once rooted, scrambling over low shrubs and sedges at the edges of wetlands.
Native Range
Native to eastern Australia from Queensland to Tasmania, and to New Zealand, New Caledonia, and parts of Malesia. Grows in wet heath, swamp margins, and along streams in acidic, peaty soils from sea level to about 4,900 feet (1,500 m).Suggested Uses
Planted on the margins of ponds, bog gardens, and constructed wetlands where soil stays wet, with room for the rhizomes to form a thicket. Used to stabilize the banks of streams and seepage lines. Forms dense cover that excludes other low plants and is hard to remove once established.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height3' - 10'
Width/Spread3' - 10'
Bloom Information
Produces no flowers. Spores ripen in small clusters on the underside of the pinnules through summer and early autumn, and disperse on air currents.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
Mid-green to yellow-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 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