''Cyrtomium falcatum'' is a species of

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except ...

, commonly known as house holly-fern and Japanese holly fern, in the wood fern family

Dryopteridaceae The Dryopteridaceae are a family of leptosporangiate ferns in the order Polypodiales. They are known colloquially as the wood ferns. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), the family is placed in the suborder ...

. It is native to eastern

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...

. It grows from crevices in coastal cliffs, stream banks, rocky slopes, and other moist, stable areas.

Description

This fern is a perennial plant with a large light brown rhizome. ''Cyrtomium falcatum'' has leaves exceeding in length made up of six to ten pairs of shiny bright green leaflets. Each leathery leaflet has a flat to wavy to slightly toothed margin and a netlike pattern of veining. The underside of each leaflet has sori beneath brown or black indusia.

Cultivation

''Cyrtomium falcatum'' is a popular

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

temperate climate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...

gardens (zones 7 to 10), and is also popular as a

house plant A houseplant, sometimes known as a pot plant, potted plant, or an indoor plant, is an ornamental plant that is grown indoors. As such, they are found in places like residences and offices, mainly for decorative purposes. Common houseplants are us ...

. It is hardier than most ferns; it thrives in light shade to deep shade with average fern soil. It is easily and quickly propagated by spores, but it can also be propagated via rhizome division. This plant has gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (No ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

. The fern has escaped from cultivation on other continents and has become established in the wild as an

introduced species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived the ...

. It can now be found in much of Europe, North America, the Atlantic Islands, Australia, New Zealand, and South America.Olsen, Sue. Encyclopedia of Garden Ferns. 2007. File:Cyrtomium falcatum.jpg, Sorus File:Cyrtomium falcatum 'Rochfordianum' habit.jpg, ''Cyrtomium falcatum'' 'Rochfordianum'

References

External links

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USDA Plants Profile - ''Cyrtomium falcatum''Jepson Manual TreatmentFlora of North America Profile
Dryopteridaceae Ferns of Asia Flora of Japan Flora of China Flora of Korea Garden plants of Asia House plants {{Dryopteridaceae-stub