Acrostichum speciosum – Mangrove Fern

Description

Acrostichum speciosum – Mangrove Fern

Family: Pteridaceae
Packet size: Approximately 10,000+ spores (not seeds)
Origin: Australian native

Large terrestrial fern of coastal wetlands and mangrove margins. Best suited to coastal wetlands; warm, humid and sheltered conditions.

Growing Conditions

• Light: Bright filtered light
• Growing medium: Moist to wet, organic-rich substrate; avoid drying out
• Water: Keep the growing medium consistently moist; this wetland fern is not drought-tolerant

Propagation from Spores

1. Prepare a clean, lidded container with fine, moist propagation mix. Sterilise the mix with boiling water, then let it cool completely before sowing.
2. Scatter spores thinly over the sterile, cooled surface; keep covered in bright indirect light. Later grow young plants in a consistently moist, sheltered terrestrial mix. Do not cover the spores with seed-raising mix.
3. Maintain humidity and monitor for green prothalli (the first tiny fern stage); development of young ferns can take weeks to months or longer.
4. Gradually acclimatise established young ferns to lower humidity before potting into a suitable moist, free-draining fern mix.

Important: Fern spores are not seeds. Keep the covered propagation container clean and in bright, indirect light; direct sunlight can overheat it.

Spore propagation advice: These instructions are a recommended guide. Spore germination and fern development may vary depending on spore freshness, storage, temperature and growing conditions. Alternative propagation methods may also be successful.