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Nephrolepis cordifolia

fishbone fern

Nephrolepidaceae

Tropical Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands

Deer Resistant Container Friendly

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Nephrolepis cordifolia is an evergreen fern forming dense clumps of erect to arching fronds 12-36 inches (30-90 cm) long and roughly as wide. Each frond is narrow and once-divided, lined with 40-100 closely spaced, overlapping pinnae 0.5-1 inch (1.3-2.5 cm) long that create a regular fishbone outline. New fronds unroll from a short erect rhizome, and the plant spreads by thin wiry stolons that produce additional crowns and small round white-to-brown tubers up to 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) across. Round sori sit in a single row near the margin on the underside of fertile pinnae. The species grows on moist, shaded forest floors, in rock crevices, and on tree trunks in its native range. Its stolons and tubers allow it to form spreading colonies, and it is listed as invasive in Florida, Hawaii, and parts of Australia, where it displaces native ground flora. In cultivation it tolerates lower light and drier air than many ferns, which accounts for its wide use indoors. Frost kills the fronds below about 25 F (-4 C), though established tubers can resprout after light freezes.

Native Range

Nephrolepis cordifolia is native to tropical and subtropical Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, with a range extending into parts of Africa. It grows on shaded forest floors, in rock crevices, and on tree trunks.

Suggested Uses

Grown as a houseplant, in hanging baskets, and in shaded containers, and used as a ground cover or in shaded borders in frost-free climates. In tropical gardens it is planted on banks and beneath trees, spaced 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) apart. Its tolerance of low light suits interior and atrium plantings.

How to Identify

Look for narrow, erect-to-arching fronds with closely spaced, overlapping rounded pinnae in a regular fishbone pattern. Small round tubers borne on wiry stolons separate it from the Boston fern Nephrolepis exaltata, which lacks tubers. Round sori form a single row near the margins on the undersides of fertile fronds.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 3'

Width/Spread1' - 3'

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Ferns do not flower. Nephrolepis cordifolia reproduces by spores released from round sori on the frond undersides, which mature mainly in warm months. It also spreads vegetatively by stolons and underground tubers through much of the year.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

medium to bright green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

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

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand peat

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in part to full shade in moist, free-draining soil rich in organic matter. Maintain evenly moist soil during active growth and reduce watering in cool weather. It is hardy outdoors in USDA zones 9-11 and grown as a houseplant elsewhere in bright indirect light. Indoors it tolerates average humidity better than most ferns but browns at the frond tips in very dry air. Crowns can be divided or tubers detached to propagate it. Outdoor plantings spread by stolons and can extend well beyond the original clump.

Pruning

Damaged or browned fronds can be cut at the base at any time to keep the clump tidy. Frost-killed foliage is trimmed back to the rhizome in spring where the plant is grown outdoors. Pulling stray stolons limits unwanted spread.