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Telmatoblechnum spp.
swamp water fern
Pantropical and subtropical wetlands
Container Friendly
Native to North America
Overview
Telmatoblechnum spp. is a small genus of terrestrial ferns in the family Blechnaceae, segregated from Blechnum spp. and found in swamps, marsh margins, wet ditches, and seasonally flooded ground across the tropics and subtropics. Plants spread by creeping, branching rhizomes to form dense colonies, sending up erect, once-pinnate fronds 1-5 feet (30-150 cm) tall. New fronds emerge pink to coppery red before hardening to firm, leathery green, and the narrow pinnae have finely toothed margins. As with all ferns, reproduction is by spores borne in linear sori along the undersides of fertile fronds rather than by flowers. The creeping habit lets colonies cover wet ground quickly, and plants can spread beyond their intended bounds in consistently moist sites. Telmatoblechnum spp. needs permanently moist to wet, acidic soil and tolerates full sun where its roots stay wet, though it browns and dies back during drought or hard frost. It is suited only to frost-free and warm-temperate climates.
Native Range
Telmatoblechnum spp. occurs across tropical and subtropical wetlands, including northern Australia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific islands, and the Americas. T. serrulatum grows in the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and tropical South America.Suggested Uses
Used at pond and stream margins, in bog gardens, and in rain gardens where soil stays wet. Suited to massed plantings for erosion control on saturated ground in warm climates.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 5'
Width/Spread2' - 4'
Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years
Bloom Information
Telmatoblechnum spp. reproduces by spores and does not flower. Fertile fronds release spores chiefly during the warm season. Flushes of reddish new fronds appear through the growing period.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
green, with pink to red new growthGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow in full sun to partial shade in permanently moist to wet, acidic soil, including pond margins and bog gardens. Keep the root zone saturated, as the fronds brown quickly if the soil dries. Confine the spreading rhizomes in smaller gardens by growing in a contained bed or pot. Remove old or frost-damaged fronds before the new flush. Grow frost-free, since temperatures below about 30F (-1C) kill the fronds.Pruning
Cut away old, damaged, or frost-burned fronds at the base before the new flush in spring. No other pruning is required. Lift and divide rhizomes to control spread or propagate.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons