Climbing Maidenhair Fern Lygodium microphyllum

Old world climbing fern is an invasive plant native to much of tropical Africa and South Africa in the Lygodiaceae family. The vine is able to cover shrubs and trees creating dense canopies that damage wetland ecosystems and native plants and is especially a problem in bottomland swamp forests. It can grow in wet soils or standing water in sun or shade.

The vine-like pinnately compound fronds of the fern can climb up to 90 feet. It has both fertile and sterile leaflets that are 2-5 inches long. The fertile leaflets are fringed with tiny lobes of enrolled leaf tissue covering the sporangia along the leaf margin. The dark brown wiry rhizomes can form mats. Many spores are released and spread by wind and water and readily sprout.

If you have a wet site and want ideas of plants to grow, see this site- https://brunswick.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Plants-for-Backyard-Wetlands.pdf?fwd=no 

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. Weedy and invasive. Listed as invasive by the NC Invasive Plant Council. See alternative plants to the left that are appropriate for moist to wet areas.