Blue Star Fern Phlebodium aureum
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Polypodium aureum
- Phonetic Spelling
- flee-BOH-dee-um AW-re-um
- Description
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This epiphytic fern is native to the tropical eastern coasts of the Americas and is commonly grown as a houseplant. It is a rhizomatous fern, spreading by its roots that are densely covered in golden scales, giving the fern its name. Ideal growing conditions include partial sun, medium humidity and moist but not soggy, soil.
The fronds are large and deeply lobed, from 12-50 inches long and 4–20 inches wide, in the wild. The evergreen fronds have up to 35 pinnae that vary in color from bright green to green-blue or silver-green or gray-green in some cultivars. They have undulate margins. Spore sori are round and run along each side of the pinna midrib. The tiny spores are wind-dispersed.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:
Monitor for spider mites, thrips, Florida Fern Caterpillar, and fungus gnats. Potential diseases include crown rot and root rot. Browning of fronds usually indicates that the plant needs higher humidity while curling is common symptom of low humidity and underwatering .
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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- 'Davana'
compact, glaucous blue, wavy leaf margins
- 'Davana'
- 'Davana'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Davana'
compact, glaucous blue, wavy leaf margins
- 'Davana'
- 'Davana'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Phlebodium
- Species:
- aureum
- Family:
- Polypodiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeast United States, Caribbean to South Tropical America
- Distribution:
- Native: Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, and the United States--AL, FL, and GA. Introduced: Canary Islands, Cape Provinces, Hawaii, India, Madeira, Queensland, and Sri Lanka
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Heavy shade, Deer
- Climbing Method:
- Scrambler
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Epiphyte
- Fern
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Cascading
- Climbing
- Creeping
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- 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)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- 3 feet-6 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a, 13b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No flowers.
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-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Slippery
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Other/more complex
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Blue
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Small Space
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Heavy Shade
- Urban Conditions
- Wind
