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Lindsaea microphylla
lacy wedge fern
Overview
Lindsaea microphylla is an evergreen terrestrial fern with finely divided, two- to three-times pinnate fronds reaching 8-24 inches (20-60 cm) long. The fronds are narrow and lacy, carried on dark wiry stalks, with small wedge-shaped to fan-shaped pinnules each 0.1-0.3 inch (3-8 mm) wide. New fronds emerge bright green and mature to mid-green. Plants spread by a slender creeping rhizome, forming open colonies rather than tight clumps. Spore-bearing sori line the outer margins of fertile pinnules. Growth is slow to moderate, and the fern needs consistently moist, sheltered conditions; fronds brown and die back in prolonged dry or exposed positions. It regrows from the rhizome when moisture returns.
Native Range
Native to eastern Australia from Queensland through New South Wales to Victoria. Grows in damp, sheltered sites on sandstone, along creek banks, in gullies, and in heath, usually in dappled light on acidic soils.Suggested Uses
Grown in shaded, moist native gardens, fern gullies, and the margins of ponds and bog gardens, spaced 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) apart to let the rhizome spread. Suited to shaded containers kept consistently moist. It grows poorly in dry, sunny, or windy positions.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 2'
Width/Spread1' - 2'
Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years
Bloom Information
Ferns do not flower; they reproduce by spores. Spores ripen in the sori along the pinnule margins through the warmer months, mainly summer and autumn. Reproduction also occurs vegetatively as the rhizome creeps and branches.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
mid-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Tolerates up to 4 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 dappled to full shade in consistently moist, free-draining, acidic soils high in organic matter. The root zone needs to stay damp; fronds brown in dry or exposed positions. Mulching with leaf litter maintains the cool, humid root conditions of its native gullies. Shelter from strong wind and hot afternoon sun reduces frond scorch. Few pests affect the fern, though scale insects occur on stressed plants in dry air.Pruning
Old or damaged fronds can be removed at the base at any time to keep the colony tidy. Browned fronds left over winter shelter the rhizome and can be cleared in spring. No other pruning is needed.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
spring
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 2 gallons