FNPS Plant Database
Adiantum capillus-veneris
Nomenclature
Common Name:
Synonym(s):
Genus species:
Family:
Pteridaceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
Size:
Life Span:
Long-lived perennial
Flower Color:
Fruit Color:
Phenology:
Noted For:
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Small specimen plant or groundcover. Also grows well as a container plant. A good addition to a rock garden. Prefers settings that are well drained but moist (Osario 2001). Note that the range, as shown is where limestore is is near the surface. If you have it planted near concrete or limestore, it should do well throughout Florida.
Considerations:
Availability:
Propagation:
Spreads gradually and can be propagated by division. Also can be propagated by spores.
Light:
Moisture Tolerance:
Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry
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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, Clay, Lime Rock
Soil pH:
Suitable to Grow In:
8A,8B,9A,9B,10A
USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Ecology
Wildlife:
Said to be resistant to deer.
Native Habitats:
Moist hammocks and can grow attached to rock outcroppings if moisture is consistently present in the area.
Natural Range in Florida:
Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants
Comments:
Ethnobotany:
General Comments:
Widespread but sparse distribution in Florida largely based on where limestone is exposed at the surface. If you have limestone it is appropriate to plant it even if the location is not shown on the map.
Citations:
Huegel, Craig, N. 2012. Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
North Carolina Extension Gardener. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/adiantum-capillus-veneris/
Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.
