Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Nomenclature
Common Name:
spleenwort
Synonym(s):
Asplenium abscissum, Asplenium platyneuron, Asplenium heterochroum, Asplenium heteroresiliens, Asplenium xheteroresiliens
Genus species:
Asplenium spp.
Family:
Aspleniaceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
fern
Size:
Most 0.5 to 1 ft tall by Most 1 ft wide
Life Span:
Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:
NA
Fruit Color:
NA
Phenology:
evergreen
Noted For:
Interesting Foliage
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Retain and treasure if already present. Spleenworts can be used in rock gardens where they grow well on limestone boulders. Many will also do well on logs. A few (such as Asplenium abscissum) can be grown as groundcovers.
Considerations:
Availability:
Specialty Provider
Propagation:
Division or spores. Osorio (2001) indicated that this is species has no vegetative spread and that it very rarely spreads from spored. Treasure it if you have it.
Light:
Shade
Moisture Tolerance:
Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry
--| <----------------->
Usually moist, occasional inundation ---to--- Not wet but not extremely dry
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:
Unknown
Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
Soil or Other Substrate:
Sand, Loam, Lime Rock
Soil pH:
High for rockland species.
Suitable to Grow In:
9A,9B,10A,10B
Ecology
Wildlife:
Native Habitats:
Around sinkholes and on rocks. Epiphytic on logs and trees. Moist sites.
Natural Range in Florida:
Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants
Comments:
Ethnobotany:
General Comments:
Many spleenworts are rare. Please do not harvest from the wild. Most spleenworts have very narrow ranges and narrow environmental tolerances. Don't confuse with the invasive tuberous sword fern Nephrolepis cordifolia--if the fern spreads via rhizomes and is abundant, it's probably the sword fern.
