Poyt448 Peter Woodard, no rights reserved (CC0) · Wikimedia Commons

Sticherus spp.

Gleicheniaceae Southern Hemisphere and tropics

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Sticherus spp. is a genus of about 100 species of ferns in the family Gleicheniaceae, found across tropical and subtropical regions, with many species in Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific, and South America. Known as umbrella or fan ferns, they spread by long, wiry, creeping rhizomes and form dense, scrambling thickets on banks and slopes. The fronds branch repeatedly in a forking pattern, each fork producing a pair of leaflet-bearing arms that spread into tiered, fan- or umbrella-like layers held 1-6 feet (0.3-1.8 m) above the ground. The narrow segments are stiff and often whitish or bluish beneath. As ferns, they reproduce by spores carried in small round sori on the underside of the segments and bear no flowers. Sticherus spp. grows in moist, acidic, low-nutrient soils in full sun to part shade, frequently colonizing road cuttings, stream banks, and disturbed slopes. The genus is slow to establish and transplants poorly, but once settled it forms long-lived colonies. Its wiry rhizomes can be hard to remove once established.

Native Range

Sticherus spp. is widespread in the Southern Hemisphere and tropics, with species in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America. Typical habitats are moist, acidic banks, stream margins, forest edges, and road cuttings.

Suggested Uses

Sticherus spp. is used in moist native, woodland, and fern gardens and for stabilizing shaded, acidic banks and stream margins. Its tiered fronds suit naturalistic and bushland plantings in frost-free regions. It is grown for foliage in sheltered, humid sites.

How to Identify

Identify Sticherus spp. by its repeatedly forking fronds, which divide in pairs to form tiered, fan- or umbrella-like layers on wiry, scrambling stems. The stiff, narrow segments are often pale or bluish on the underside. Long creeping rhizomes that bind it into dense thickets, and round spore-bearing sori rather than flowers, confirm the genus.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 6'

Width/Spread3' - 10'

Colors

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

As a fern, Sticherus spp. produces no flowers. It reproduces by spores held in small round sori on the underside of the frond segments, released mainly in the warm, humid months. New fronds unfurl through the growing season.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 3-8 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

Soil Requirements

pH Range4.0 - 6.0(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

sand clay peat

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

High

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Sticherus spp. grows in moist, acidic, low-nutrient soils in full sun to part shade and needs consistent moisture and high humidity. Water needs are medium to high, and the rhizomes decline in dry or alkaline ground. Soil pH should be acidic, roughly 4.0 to 6.0. The genus tolerates poor, sandy, or clay banks but spreads slowly and is hard to transplant or divide. It suits frost-free to mild climates and is damaged by hard frost. Establishment from spore or rhizome is slow and uneven.

Pruning

Pruning is limited to removing dead or frost-damaged fronds at the base. The scrambling growth can be cut back to contain spread along edges. Old fronds are cleared in late winter before new growth unfurls.