About Asplenium bulbiferum G.Forst.
Asplenium bulbiferum G.Forst., commonly called mother spleenwort, is a fern species that is endemic to New Zealand. It is also known as hen and chicken fern, and has multiple Māori names: pikopiko, mouku, or mauku. The fronds of this fern are eaten as a vegetable. This species grows small bulbils on the upper surface of its fronds. When these bulbils (offspring) reach about 5 cm (2.0 in) in size, they fall off the parent frond. If the soil where they land stays moist, the bulbils will develop a root system and grow into full new ferns. This additional method of reproduction is much easier to use for propagation than growing ferns from spores. A number of similar Southern Hemisphere species share this same mode of reproduction, including Asplenium daucifolium. Asplenium bulbiferum is common throughout most bush areas in New Zealand, and it thrives in a wide range of light conditions, from full shade to partial sunlight.
