Old World Climbing Fern Lygodium microphyllum
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Lygodium scandens var. microphyllum
- Ugena microphylla
- Phonetic Spelling
- ly-GO-dee-um my-kro-FIL-lum
- Description
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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.
- 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:
- microphyllum
- Family:
- Lygodiaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Vines have been used for weaving items and the plant has been used in herbal medicine
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- tropical Africa and South Africa
- Climbing Method:
- Scrambler
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Vine
- Weed
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Wet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 12a, 12b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- Produces many spores
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No flowers
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The vine-like pinnately compound fronds can grow and climb up to 90 feet. Leaflets are 2-5 inches long. Sterile leaflets are oblong with entire margins. Sterile leaflets are similar but are fringed with tiny lobes of enrolled leaf tissue covering the sporangia along the leaf margin.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Zig Zags
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- wiry green zig-zag stems
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Landscape:
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Weedy
