02/29/2016
The Wart fern, Kangaroo fern,or even called Rabbits foot fern, is a slow growing epiphyte, which means it will grow on other plants but won't derive nourishment from the host plant. It grows from thick, green rhizomes that are sparsely covered with dark, hairlike scales that will creep over rocks, around pots, up fence posts, trees and buildings. The thick, leathery leaves are spaced out along the rhizome sometimes on a petiole, sometimes not. The leaf usually is bright green with reproductive spores that are in large clusters on the back of leaves. They often cause large bumps on the upper surface of the leaves, giving the plant the common name wart fern. The Wart fern prefers part sun to full shade in warm, moist locations. Though wart fern will tolerate short periods of drought, its best growth is achieved with evenly moist conditions.
Patches of wart fern can become very large and will tend to grow taller than most people plan so install them where there is enough space to accommodate lateral and vertical growth. This fern prefers shade under living plant material as nourishment comes from decayed fallen leaves and other organic material. There are no pests are known to infest wart fern but, over watering can cause fungail problems.
