Botanical name:

Asplenium chathamense

Common name(s):

Chatham Island spleenwort

About:

As its botanical name suggests, this fern is endemic to the Chatham Islands, thriving in coastal forests and scrub. It features short rhizomes and long, brown stems supporting broad, dark green, divided fronds that can grow up to 45cm in length.

Natural habitat:

Primarily found on coastal rocks and cliffs in rock crevices or on the ground. Also found in coastal scrub, open coastal forest and along creek-sides.

Growing environment:

Frost, Sun, Coastal & Free draining tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

Chatham Islands (Chatham, Pitt, Mangere, Little Mangere, South East, Star Keys, Forty-Fours, Rabbit Islands, and on most other smaller islets and rock stacks)

Height: 50cm

Flowering: N/A Spore producing

Fruiting: N/A

Uses:

Riparian plantings, Forests, Pioneer Plantings & Container friendly

How to grow:

Easy from spores and rooted pieces. A very attractive specimen but can be rather slow growing. Best in a large pot or planted in a deep, rich, moist soil in semi-shade. Can be prone to getting scale infections.