FNPS Plant Database

Nephrolepis exaltata

wild Boston fern

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

wild Boston fern

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Nephrolepis exaltata

Family:

Nephrolepidaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

fern

Size:

to 1 to 1.5 ft, spreads broadly by rhisomes

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

NA

Fruit Color:

NA

Phenology:

evergreen

Noted For:

Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Groundcover especially in shady moist areas. Spreads by rhizomes.

Considerations:

This can be aggressive. Be careful to plant it where you can contain it.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Friends

Propagation:

Division

Light:

Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

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, Loam, Organic

Soil pH:

Acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B,11

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Native Habitats:

Wet-dry sites. Swamps, hammocks, yards.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Very similar in appearance to several non-natives which are invasive pests, esp. N. cordifolia. If there are spherical tubers amongst the roots, it's N. cordifolia, the invasive tuberous swordfern.  In this vein, it appears that herbarium specimens from further north than indicated on our map have been reclassified as something other than N. exaltata.  We do not show those areas on our map.

Citations:

Huegel, Craig, N.  2012.  Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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