Japanese Climbing Fern Lygodium japonicum
- Phonetic Spelling
- ly-GO-dee-um juh-PON-ih-kum
- Description
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The Japanese climbing fern is a terrestrial, herbaceous perennial climber in the fan-fern family (Schizaeaceae). Its origins are Japan, tropical Asia and Australia. The species epithet is Latin for “Japanese.”
The plant will grow in both sun and shade in both disturbed and undisturbed areas. It likes loamy soil with good drainage. It grows in moist habitats but can also be found in dry pine flatlands. Control is difficult and it will quickly grow back after a burn so can not be controlled by fire. Herbicides have had some effect.
It can climb to 90 feet covering shrubs and trees. The root system is rhizomatous and forms a dense mat up to 10 feet deep. The spores form along the margins of the lacy fronds and are dispersed by the wind. It is evergreen in tropical areas and deciduous in areas with frost.
This species is NOT recommended for landscape or garden use. With warming winters in NC, this species may become a significant threat to native ecosystems.
Quick ID Hints:
- Climber with fern leaves
- Fronds have elongated pinnules and twining rachis
- Sori borne on finger-like lobes of pinnules
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or pest issues, but this fern is itself a problem. It can grow quickly to smother trees. It also creates mats over the ground preventing seed germination. Japanese climbing fern is listed as invasive by the North Carolina Invasive Plant Council and the South Carolina Exotic Pest Plant Council. It is considered invasive in several southern states and a noxious weed in Florida. See alternatives to the left.
VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington, Director of JC Raulston Arboretum.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Lygodium
- Species:
- japonicum
- Family:
- Schizaeaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use and for its stems, which are used in basketry.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Japan, Tropical Asia, Austrailia
- Distribution:
- AL, AR, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, NC, PA, PR, SC, TX
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Heavy shade, Deer
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 90 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Fern
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Weed
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Climbing
- Creeping
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- 24-60 feet
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- No fruits. This plants reproduces via wind dispersed spores.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No flowers.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Slippery
- Soft
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Description:
- The twice-pinnately compound leaves are vinelike fronds that can grow 90 feet long. Leaflets are usually triangular in shape, 3-6 in. long, 2-3 in. wide and finely dissected with hairs on the undersurface. They are pinnately compound to decompound and dimorphic. Pinnae are borne on rachis in distant pairs on short stalks. The sterile pinnae is entire to serrate, with an elongated terminal pinnul. Lateral pinnules are 2-3 per side and are unequal. The smaller pinnaes are fertile, with pinnules developing finger-like lobes. Stipes and rachis are wiry and twinging.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Black
- Green
- Orange
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Vines are thin, wiry, green to orange to black, very strong and twining
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Landscape:
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Heavy Shade
- Problems:
- Weedy
