About Woodwardia prolifera Hook. & Arn.
Woodwardia prolifera Hook. & Arn. is an evergreen diploid fern species. Its fronds grow 1.5 to 3 meters in length, and range in color from green to orange; the species produces distinct pink-orange plantlets. Its spores are 75 to 78 microns long, and its guard cells are 35 to 51 microns long. In the wild, this species usually grows in light shade in chalky, acidic soil. It is found growing in coastal locations, on mountain slopes, and near streams, typically in wet conditions at elevations between 100 and 1,100 meters. It is a popular horticultural plant, and has earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. This species can be propagated through several methods: growers can peg down its fronds and let plantlets or bulbils develop roots before separating them from the frond. Separately planted bulbils or plantlets can also grow successfully, though they require high humidity. It can also be easily propagated from spores.
