How to propagate maidenhair fern? A detailed guide to common propagation methods
Maidenhair fern can be propagated by division and by spores. Division is best done in spring when repotting. When dividing, take the mother plant out of the pot, pull the rhizomes apart with your hands, and split them into 3~4 small clumps, then plant them separately. Be careful not to damage the roots during the operation, so as to help them survive. In a warm, shady and damp environment, the spores borne on the leaf margins of maidenhair fern mature and
Maidenhair fern can be propagated by division and by spores. Division is best done in spring when repotting. When dividing, take the mother plant out of the pot, pull the rhizomes apart with your hands, and split them into 3~4 small clumps, then plant them separately. Be careful not to damage the roots during the operation, so as to help them survive.
In a warm, shady and damp environment, the spores borne on the leaf margins of maidenhair fern mature, then easily scatter onto moist soil and grow and reproduce on their own; once they have grown into seedlings, they can be dug up and potted. For large-scale propagation, the spore method is mostly used.
Image: Propagation methods of maidenhair fern
I. Division propagation method
Division is the most commonly used propagation method for maidenhair fern. Division can generally be done indoors in all four seasons, but early spring, combined with repotting, is the most suitable time.
First prepare several small flower pots and fill them with soil; then take the mother plant out of the pot, cut off the aged rhizomes, and use a small knife to divide the plant into several clumps, each of which must have rhizomes and leaves; finally plant the clumps separately in the small pots, cover the rhizomes with soil, water them, and place them in a cool place for care.
Image: Maidenhair fern bearing spores
II. Spore propagation method
Spore propagation means sprinkling leaves that bear spores onto moist soil without covering them with soil, using water evaporation to promote leaf growth.
The specific method is as follows: 1. Before planting, disinfect the peat and fine sand by exposing them to the sun or watering them with a disinfectant solution; 2. Then put the soil in a shallow pot and water it thoroughly; 3. Cut off leaves that bear spores; 4. Sprinkle the spore-bearing leaves over the shallow pot without covering them with soil, cover them with a piece of glass, soak water up from the bottom of the pot, and keep the pot soil moist; 5. Place the pot in a semi-shady environment at 20~25°C; in about one month new leaves will grow, and once the pot is full they can be divided and transplanted.
Image: Maidenhair fern
The above is an introduction to the propagation methods of maidenhair fern. I hope it is helpful to everyone!
Maidenhair fern Adiantum capillus-veneris L. Maidenhair fern profile: how to grow maidenhair fern / how to propagate maidenhair fern
Maidenhair fern fact sheetMaidenhair fern Adiantum capillus-veneris L.
How to grow maidenhair fern and points to note; an introduction to maidenhair fern
Maidenhair fern (scientific name: Adiantum capillus-veneris Linn.) is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant, also known as wire grass, maiden's hair, wire fern, and water pig bristle soil. Its pale green, thin-textured leaves paired with shiny jet-black leaf stalks look especially elegant and graceful. It is 0.1-0.5 m tall. Because its stems are slender and resemble iron wire in color, it is called maidenhair fern. Maidenhair fern is also an indicator of calcareous soil. Because it fears dryness and strong light, it must be placed in a spot without direct sunlight for care. Maidenhair fern also has many varieties, such as lotus-leaf maidenhair fern and kidney-leaved maidenhair fern. It is a cosmopolitan species, growing wild in all regions.
Maidenhair fern likes loose, well-drained, fertile calcareous sandy loam. When potting, the growing medium can be made by mixing equal parts of loam, leaf mold and river sand. During the growing season, apply liquid fertilizer once a week, and take care to keep the pot soil moist and the air humidity relatively high. In dry seasons, you can often sprinkle water on the ground around the plant to raise the air humidity.
Morphological characteristics of maidenhair fern
Perennial herb, plant height 15-40 cm. Rhizome slender and creeping horizontally, densely covered with brown lanceolate scales. Leaves distant or nearly tufted; stipe 5-20 cm long, about 1 mm thick, slender, chestnut-black, glossy, base covered with the same scales as those on the rhizome, smooth above; leaf blade ovate-triangular, 10-25 cm long, 8-16 cm wide, acute at the tip, cuneate at the base, mostly bipinnate below the middle, odd-pinnate once above the middle; pinnae 3-5 pairs, alternate, slanting upward, stalked (stalk up to 1.5 cm long), the basal pair larger, 4.5-9 cm long, 2.5-4 cm wide, oblong-ovate, rounded-obtuse at the tip, odd-pinnate once (rarely twice), lateral ultimate pinnules 2-4 pairs, alternate, slanting upward, 6-15 mm apart, nearly equal in size or the basal pair slightly larger, symmetric or asymmetric obliquely fan-shaped or nearly obliquely square, 1.2-2 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide, upper margin rounded, with 2-4 shallow lobes or deeply divided into strip-like segments, sterile segments obtuse-rounded at the tip, with broad triangular small serrations or erose small teeth, fertile segments truncate at the tip, straight or slightly sunken, entire or with erose small teeth on both sides, entire on both sides, base gradually narrowed into an oblique broad cuneate shape, with a slender chestnut-black short stalk (1-2 mm long), terminal pinnule fan-shaped, base narrowly cuneate, often larger than the lateral pinnules below it, stalk up to 1 cm; the second pair of pinnae 2.5-5 cm from the basal pair, and each pair above is the same shape as the basal pair but gradually smaller.
Veins dichotomously forked several times, reaching the margin, obvious on both surfaces. Leaf thinly herbaceous after drying, grass-green or brown-green, hairless on both surfaces; rachis, all orders of pinna rachis and pinnule stalks the same color as the stipe, often slightly zigzag left and right. Sori 3-10 per pinna, borne transversely on the upper margin of the fertile ultimate pinnules; indusia elongate, long kidney-shaped to round kidney-shaped, upper margin straight, pale yellow-green, brown when old, membranous, entire, persistent. Spore perispore with coarse granular ornamentation, often preserved after treatment.
Ecological habits of maidenhair fern
Often grows on limestone beside flowing streams or on the bottoms of limestone caves and on dripping rock walls; it is an indicator plant of calcareous soil, at an altitude of 100-2800 m; on rocks under mountain slopes in forest or in relatively sunny and damp places.
Originally wild on wet rocks in streamside valleys, it likes warm, humid and semi-shady environments, is cold-tolerant, and avoids direct sunlight. It likes loose, fertile sandy loam containing lime.
Maidenhair fern likes loose, well-drained, fertile calcareous sandy loam. When potting, the growing medium can be made by mixing equal parts of loam, leaf mold and river sand. During the growing season, apply liquid fertilizer once a week, and take care to keep the pot soil moist and the air humidity relatively high. In dry seasons, you can often sprinkle water on the ground around the plant to raise the air humidity.
Maidenhair fern likes bright diffused light and avoids direct sunlight. If the light is too strong, the leaves turn yellow and may even die. It likes warmth and is also cold-tolerant; the suitable growing temperature is 13-22°C. In winter it can overwinter safely in the Northeast region and sprout again the following spring.
Maidenhair fern is mainly propagated by division. Division is best done in spring before new buds sprout, combined with repotting. Knock the plant that has filled the pot out of the pot, remove most of the old growing medium, cut its rhizome, divide it into two to several clumps, and pot them separately to form new plants. In addition, after the spores of maidenhair fern mature, they scatter in a warm and humid environment and grow and reproduce on their own; when they have grown to a certain size, they can also be potted.
Cultivation techniques for maidenhair fern
Planting
When potting, choose light-colored glazed pots or clay pots; the pot soil must have good water permeability and aeration. Generally use humus-rich peat soil or leaf mold, add about 1/3 coarse sand and fine sand, and put in some bone meal; the bottom of the pot should be lined with some broken tiles or coarse sand to aid drainage. The rhizome planting depth is 1.5-2.5 cm. Plant in spring or repot and change the soil. For potting, a growing medium commonly used is humus soil or peat soil mixed with a small amount of river sand and base fertilizer. Repot once every spring; when repotting, do not damage the roots, avoid wind, and keep the pot soil moist and the air humidity relatively high. Once new shoots grow, normal care can be resumed.
Bottle culture
For bottle-culturing maidenhair fern, it is best to choose a colorless, transparent, flat-surfaced square glass bottle, so that the plant does not look distorted and appears attractive. Mix equal parts of peat and fine sand as the growing medium and put it into the bottle. It is best to first put some old wall ash at the bottom of the bottle, which is even more beneficial to the growth of maidenhair fern. A growing medium thickness of 2 to 3 cm is enough; take care not to smear the growing medium onto the bottle walls. Then use a sharp knife to divide the mother plant of maidenhair fern into several clumps, and use chopsticks to hold them and carefully plant them into the bottle. A large bottle can hold several clumps, while a small bottle should hold fewer clumps. Gently press firm the place where the plant base meets the growing medium, then water. Next, put the bottle cap on well and place the bottle in a place without direct sunlight.
Because the inside of the bottle is sealed, watering once a month and topdressing once every few months is enough. To prevent water mist on the inner wall of the bottle from affecting the display, besides thoroughly washing it with laundry detergent before use, pay special attention not to place them in places with large temperature differences. After autumn begins, as the temperature drops, maidenhair fern enters a slow-growth stage, and old leaves gradually turn yellow; at this time cut them off. Throughout the winter, the ambient temperature should not be lower than 5°C. The following spring, when the weather warms up, the plant will grow a large number of new leaves, presenting a thriving scene.
Bottle-cultured maidenhair fern not only saves trouble and labor, but you also do not need to worry that being away on a business trip and failing to water on time will cause the plant's leaves to fail and branches to be damaged. Under the high-humidity conditions inside the bottle, maidenhair fern grows exceptionally vigorously. Place a bottle of maidenhair fern on the tea table by the window; seen from afar, the glass bottle is crystal clear and the fern leaves sway gracefully, just like a green gem sparkling.
Temperature and light
Maidenhair fern likes warm, humid and semi-shady environments. The suitable growing temperature is 21-25°C during the day and 12-15°C at night. In winter it should be moved into a greenhouse; at temperatures above 5°C the leaves can still remain fresh green, but below 5°C the leaves will suffer cold damage. It likes bright diffused light and fears direct sun. In summer, appropriate shading can be provided; long periods of strong direct light will cause most leaves to turn yellow. Indoors it should be placed in a dark spot; even if placed there for 1 year, it can still grow normally.
Watering and fertilizing
Maidenhair fern likes humid environments. During the peak growing season, water thoroughly; besides keeping the pot soil moist, also pay attention to relatively high air humidity, and when the air is dry, sprinkle water around the plant. Especially in summer, water 1-2 times a day; if water is lacking, the leaves will shrivel. Avoid letting the pot soil alternate between dry and wet when watering, as this easily makes the leaves turn yellow. Apply dilute liquid fertilizer 2-3 times a month; when fertilizing, do not stain the leaf surface, so as to avoid leaf rot. Because maidenhair fern likes calcium, the pot soil should be supplemented with an appropriate amount of lime and crushed eggshells, and frequently applying calcium fertilizer will give even better results. In winter, reduce watering and stop fertilizing.
Maidenhair fern likes warm and shady damp environments, is not cold-tolerant, is not drought-tolerant, and prefers acidic soil. For potting, it can often be placed flat indoors in a spot with diffused light, where it will grow well. The pot soil is best as a growing medium made by mixing half mountain forest soil and half fertile garden soil. During the growing season, watering must be sufficient, and a thin fertilizer should be applied once about every 2 weeks to promote lush growth. In summer, it is best to place it outdoors under a shade awning for care. When the leaf clusters are too dense, the old leaves can be appropriately pruned; otherwise the leaves easily turn yellow and become unsightly. After winter begins, move it indoors and place it in diffused light; keeping the room temperature at about 10°C is enough for it to overwinter safely.
In winter, temperatures are low, and it suffers cold damage from late frost or early frost. Maidenhair fern likes warm and humid climates, is not cold-tolerant, and its suitable growing temperature is 15~24°C. If the winter room temperature is above 10°C, the leaves can remain emerald green; below 5°C they turn black and yellow. Too shady, without sunlight for a long time. Maidenhair fern fears summer heat and cannot be exposed to the sun, but it also cannot be completely shaded. In summer, it is best placed outdoors under a shade awning and under large trees, or moved outdoors at night and back indoors during the day. In winter it should receive sufficient light.
In summer, the weather is stuffy and hot, with poor ventilation. Air humidity should be increased and ventilation strengthened.
Can maidenhair fern be grown well at home?
To grow maidenhair fern well at home, the following points should be followed:
① Maidenhair fern likes warm, humid and semi-shady environments and avoids direct sunlight. It is best to place the plant in a spot indoors that sunlight cannot reach; too much and too strong light will cause the leaf edges to scorch. It grows well at 10~20°C; high summer temperatures inhibit growth, and only when winter temperatures are not below 5°C can it stay green all year round.
② Ferns all grow in humid environments, and maidenhair fern is no exception. When cultivating, besides keeping the soil moist, also frequently spray water on the leaf surface to raise air humidity. Yellowing of the plant is often caused by insufficient humidity. In addition, it may also be cold damage.
③ Repot once every spring, pruning off dry leaves and old roots. The pot soil should be replaced with fresh, fertile and loose leaf mold, and it is best to add a small amount of brick crumbs.
What should be done if the leaf edges of maidenhair fern scorch?
Maidenhair fern leaves most easily develop brown scorched edges; this is a common problem in cultivation. Maidenhair fern originally grows in shady, damp wall cracks or on stone surfaces and likes moisture most. Because summer light is intense, if maidenhair fern is not placed in a shaded environment, it cannot grow normally. Direct sunlight quickly evaporates the water in the leaves; before the roots can absorb water upward, some cells in the leaves have already shrunk and dehydrated, and the green color gradually fades, thus causing scorched edges.
Remedial measures:
① It must immediately be placed in a semi-shady spot for care.
② Cut off the scorched leaves, and promptly spray water on the leaf surface and the surrounding ground.
③ Care for it attentively and try as much as possible to avoid being stimulated by strong light again.
How can maidenhair fern be kept green all year round?
① During the growing period, water sufficiently and maintain relatively high air humidity. In the peak growing season, spray water on the branches and leaves 2~3 times a day to keep the leaf color deep green. If water supply is insufficient or the air is dry, the leaves will turn yellow or curl at the edges and scorch.
② Maidenhair fern does not need much fertilizer; generally applying a dilute cake fertilizer solution once every 2~3 weeks is enough. If a small amount of calcium fertilizer can be added, the effect will be even better. But note: when watering and fertilizing, do not stain the leaf surface, otherwise the leaves easily turn yellow and the ornamental effect is affected.
③ Although maidenhair fern is a shade plant, it still needs a certain amount of light during the growing season. When caring for it indoors in spring, summer and autumn, it is best to place the pot on a windowsill on the east or north side of the room. If it is grown outdoors, never expose it to direct sunlight; strong direct sunlight very easily causes the leaf edges to scorch and the leaves to turn yellow.
④ During care, when dead leaves are found, cut them off promptly to keep the plant fresh and attractive and to help new leaves sprout. When the leaf clusters are too dense, the old leaves can be appropriately pruned each autumn; otherwise, if the branches and leaves are too messy and crowded, growth will weaken and the leaves will turn yellow.
⑤ In winter, place the pot near a south-facing windowsill for care, keep the air humid, and maintain the room temperature above 12°C; then the leaves will grow fresh green and lovely.
⑥ Maidenhair fern grows fast and needs repotting every spring. When repotting, note that fresh growing medium needs to be added.
How to scientifically propagate maidenhair fern?
Maidenhair fern is usually mainly propagated by division, which can maintain the parent plant's characteristics. It is generally done in April of the following year when repotting; depending on the size of the mother plant, the plant base can be divided into two or three parts for cultivation. In addition, once mature spores scatter into moist soil, they will also develop into seedlings; when they grow a little larger, dig them up and pot them to become new plants.
Propagation methods of maidenhair fern
Commonly used division or spore propagation methods:
Division propagation can be done indoors in all four seasons, but is generally carried out in early spring combined with repotting. Take the mother plant out of the pot, cut its rhizome so that each piece bears some rhizome and leaves, then plant them separately in small pots. Cover the rhizomes with mixed soil, water them, and place them in a shady, damp environment for cultivation to obtain new plants.
The spore propagation method is: place the peat and fine sand used as the substrate in an oven for high-temperature disinfection to kill pathogens and weed seeds. Then put the disinfected soil into a shallow sowing pot. Cut off leaves with mature spores, collect the spores and evenly sprinkle them over the shallow sowing pot without covering with soil, cover with a piece of glass on top, soak water up from the bottom of the pot, keep the pot soil moist, and place it in a semi-shady environment at 20-25°C. After about one month the spores can germinate into prothalli, and once the pot is full they can be divided and planted. Note that 1~2 days before dividing and planting, the glass on the sowing pot should be removed for ventilation, so as to avoid plant rot or the occurrence of pests and diseases. In addition, in warm and damp environments it very easily disperses spores and reproduces on its own.
Disease control of maidenhair fern
Potted maidenhair fern often suffers from leaf blight. In the early stage, Bordeaux mixture can be used for control; in severe cases, a 1000-1500 times solution of 70% thiophanate-methyl can be used. If scale insects harm the plant, a 1000 times solution of 40% omethoate can be used for control.
Variety classification of maidenhair fern
Fan-leaved maidenhair fern
Leaf blades fan-shaped to irregularly broad-ovate, 2-3 times palmatifid to pedate dichotomous branching; the central pinna largest, pinnules short-stalked.
Whip-leaved maidenhair fern
Also called bristle maidenhair fern, leaves linear-lanceolate, about 10-25 cm long, the tip often extended into a whip shape and rooting where it touches the ground. Leaf blades sword-shaped oblong, once pinnate or twice torn, the upper and outer margins often deeply divided into narrow segments, the lower margin straight and entire.
Wedge-leaved maidenhair fern
Leaves broadly triangular, 2-4 times pinnately divided, segments rhombic or oblong.
Distribution range of maidenhair fern
Distributed in Africa, the Americas, Europe, Oceania and the warm regions of Asia.
Taiwan, China, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Hebei, Beijing, and the Northeast region.
Cosmopolitan species. Widely distributed in Africa, the Americas, Europe, Oceania and other warm regions of Asia. The type specimen was collected from Europe (the United Kingdom).
Dietary or medicinal value of maidenhair fern
The medical information and health dietary information on Huahua Network are for reference only and cannot be used as a basis for diagnosis or medical treatment. Any health problem should be consulted with professional medical personnel, and treatment of any disease should follow a doctor's advice.
The ultimate flower-protecting task: to love yourself, start from reality and strictly follow a doctor's advice. Toward illness, do not be careless, do not delay, do not give up hope; face it bravely, warm the silent world with love, and care for the flower field in your heart with care.
Medicinal value
Nature and flavor: bitter and slightly sweet, neutral.
① "Dian Nan Ben Cao": "Nature warm, flavor slightly sweet and slightly sour."
② "Fen Lei Cao Yao Xing": "Slightly bitter, neutral, non-toxic."
③ Jiangxi "Cao Yao Shou Ce": "Sweet, neutral, non-toxic."
Meridian entry: "Dian Nan Ben Cao": "Enters the liver."
Functions and indications: dispels wind, activates collaterals, relieves heat, stops bleeding, promotes tissue regeneration. Treats wind-damp numbness and contracture, hemiplegia, consumptive injury with blood vomiting, traumatic injury, cuts, and chronic shin ulcers. Clears heat and promotes urination, dissipates blood stasis and stops bleeding, relaxes sinews and activates collaterals. Used for upper respiratory tract infection, hepatitis, dysentery, urinary tract infection, epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematemesis, hematochezia, beriberi edema, rheumatic bone pain, urticaria, hemiplegia, numbness of hands and feet, and traumatic injury; externally used to treat traumatic bleeding, fractures, sores and carbuncles, and leg ulcers. Influenza, common cold, cough, hepatitis, dysentery, low back pain, urethral stones, breast pain, consumptive injury, traumatic injury, burns and scalds, snake bites, and furuncle toxin.
① "Dian Nan Ben Cao": "Travels through the meridians, strengthens sinews and bones, relaxes sinews and activates collaterals. For hemiplegia, contracture of the hands and feet, phlegm-fire flaccidity and weakness, and soreness and pain of the sinews and bones, steeping in wine and using it is effective." "Mash and apply to chronic shin ulcers to promote tissue regeneration; apply to cuts and traumatic injuries to stop bleeding and close wounds, and it can set sinews and bones."
② "Fen Lei Cao Yao Xing": "Treats postpartum stroke, treats wind diseases, reduces swelling and toxin qi."
③ "Chongqing Cao Yao": "Reduces fire and relieves heat, promotes tissue regeneration and stops bleeding. Treats rheumatism, consumptive injury with blood vomiting, and dog bites."
Usage and dosage:
1. Internal use: decoct in water, 25-50 grams. External use: mash and apply.
2. Internal use: decoct in water, 30-60 grams. External use: appropriate amount, mash and apply.
Whole herb (pig bristle grass): bland, bitter, cool. Clears heat and detoxifies, drains dampness and reduces swelling, promotes urination and treats strangury. Used for dysentery, scrofula, lung-heat cough, hepatitis, strangury, venomous snake bites, and traumatic injury.
Landscape uses of maidenhair fern
Among ferns, maidenhair fern is one of the most widely cultivated species. Its stems and leaves are elegant and varied, its form is graceful, and its plant type is small, making it very suitable for small-pot cultivation and for accenting rock bonsai. Because the black leaf stalks are slender and glossy, closely resembling human hair, and its texture is very soft and beautiful, like a young girl's soft hair, it is also called "maiden's hair"; its pale green, thin-textured leaves paired with shiny jet-black leaf stalks look especially elegant and graceful. It likes shade, has strong adaptability, and is easy to cultivate, making it even more suitable for year-round indoor potted display. As a small potted shade-loving foliage plant, it is superior to asparagus fern in many respects. Small pots can be placed on a desk or tea table; larger pots can be used to decorate the windowsill, hallway or living room of a shady room, and can be enjoyed by people for a relatively long time. Maidenhair fern leaves are also good cut-leaf material and dried-flower material.
Cultural background of maidenhair fern: matching maidenhair fern with home decor styles
The minimalist style emphasizes simple and bright fashionable home decor, but at the same time it also pursues the expression of individuality, reflecting the owner's temperament to the greatest extent. It is no exaggeration to say that the minimalist style is simply the "versatile" style in home decor; the most suitable match for it is none other than relatively slender, fine-leaved plants. If such an arrangement is adopted, it will add a touch of unique artistic flavor to your room. Therefore, maidenhair fern is exactly such a plant suitable for placing at home.
Besides the elegance we are familiar with, the Chinese style can actually also be paired with delicate plants such as maidenhair fern; this better highlights the traditional Chinese spirit of overcoming hardness with softness, while mixing with other styles may produce even more brilliant sparks. The addition of maidenhair fern will give the home a touch of freshness.
Maidenhair fern pictures