An epiphytic fern with a creeping rhizome that is densely covered in golden-brown scales. The fronds are a blue/ grey/ green and on mature specimens can reach up to 130cm in length, they are deeply lobed and often have undulate margins. Evergreen if kept frost free, they can also die back during periods of drought going dormant until rainfall increases again.

It has quite a large distribution being found naturally growing from Paraguay all the way up to Georgia in south eastern USA. Hardiness wise we have had our own plant survive short spells down to -4c although that is growing on a protected house wall.

Although an epiphyte it can be grown in the ground if given a humus rich, moist but well drained, open soil and unusually for a lot of ferns it likes relatively high light levels but not full, direct midday sun. Despite it’s need for light it also likes moist so do not allow it to dry out during the warmer months. When growing as an epiphyte tie to a tree branch or trunk wrapping with some sphagnum moss around the roots until established. Also suited to growing in a hanging basket or wall planting.

Sent as a young plant in a 6cm pot.

By Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6122824