Hen and Chicken Fern

Botanical name: Asplenium gracillimum
Common name(s): Hen and Chicken Fern
Synonyms: Asplenium bulbiferum subsp. gracillimum

Plant facts:
A graceful finely divided fern closely related to Asplenium bulbiferum, valued for its elegant dark green fronds and occasional production of bulbils along the foliage. This species is especially common in moist native forest and often grows alongside other forest ferns in high rainfall regions.

Natural habitat:
Occurs naturally in lowland to subalpine forest, especially along riparian margins, colluvium slopes, stream banks, and moist forest floors.

Growing environment:
Shade to partial shade, Moist fertile soils, Humid & Sheltered.
Thrives in rich free-draining soils with consistent moisture and protection from harsh drying conditions.

Indigenous distribution:
Indigenous to New Zealand and Australia.
Found throughout the North Island, South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura, and the Chatham Islands.

Height:
Approximately 0.3–1.2 m tall

Width:
Approximately 0.5–1.5 m wide

Uses:

• Native forest restoration
• Woodland and fern gardens
• Indoor and container planting
• Riparian revegetation
• Shaded subtropical landscaping
• Understory planting

Appearance:

Growth habit:
A robust evergreen terrestrial fern forming spreading clumps from a short upright rhizome.

Fronds:
Large bi- to tripinnate fronds are dark green to blue-green, arching, and finely divided with a delicate graceful appearance.

Stems and scales:
Stipes are stout with brown ovate scales drawn into long thread-like tips.

Bulbils:
Bulbils occasionally form along the fronds, especially in some populations, allowing vegetative spread.

Leaflets:
Pinnae are finely serrated and taper elegantly toward the frond apex.

Sori:
Numerous elongated sori occur beneath the pinnules near the margins.

Ecology:
A characteristic component of moist native forest understories, particularly in high rainfall districts and along streamsides. Often occurs alongside Asplenium bulbiferum but extends into drier and higher elevation forest.

Associated wildlife:
Provides shelter and humid microhabitats for native forest invertebrates and contributes to dense fern ground layers.

How to grow:
Easy to cultivate in shaded or semi-shaded positions with moist free-draining soil rich in organic matter. Suitable for pots, ferneries, woodland gardens, and shaded courtyards.

Propagation:
Easy from spores, bulbils, or division of established clumps.

Garden value:
An elegant native fern valued for its lush divided foliage and soft woodland appearance. Excellent for creating layered forest plantings and subtropical-style shade gardens.