Microsorum pteropus Java fern

"Classic" Java fern with its large wide leaves has long been known as undemanding aquarium plant with multiple uses that can be cultivated very well as an epiphyte on rocks and driftwood. Microsorum pteropus, or Java fern, grows in innumerable locations in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. It is often found on rocks or wood in rivulets and waterfalls. Some populations grow submersed permanently, others occur as terrestrial plants on moist forest ground. Java fern is a very widely spread, popular plant in the aquarium hobby, and it is on sale in most aquarium shops.50 years ago it was brought into trade under the erroneous name Leptochilus decurrens, amongst others, which is not a synonym for M. pteropus, but the name of another fern. M. pteropus is very variable. The various forms can differ so much in size and leaf form that one might even assume they belong to different species. For quite some time, only the large-growing standard form with broad leaves used to be in cultivation, however, more recently, other forms beside the varieties 'Tropica' and 'Windelov' have been imported, a large range of predominantly smaller-growing and narrow-leaved Java fern varieties. M. pteropus is one the easiest aquarium plants hitherto in cultivation and thus the perfect plant for beginning planted aquarium keepers. Its low demands and the possibility to cultivate it as an epiphyte on rocks and wood made it a firm asset in the aquarium hobby. Moderate light is more than sufficient, Java fern grows well under stronger and weaker lighting as well. Like Anubias, Microsorum pteropus develops a creeping rhizome on which the roots and leaves grow. This rhizome can be fixed to roots or driftwood with string, and after a few months it attaches to these surfaces with its roots. This plant can also be attached to the back or the side glass of the tank with suckers. In breeding tanks, M. pteropus is often used as floating plant, together with Java moss. If you want to plant M. pteropus in the substrate, make sure you only cover the roots, not the rhizome, as it would rot away. The plant can also be fixed on the ground with plant needles or weighed down with rocks without covering the roots at all. M. pteropus does not require the addition of fertiliser or CO₂, however, moving water is highly beneficial.

Flowgrow

The "classic" large-leaved Java Fern Time-tested robust epiphyte Can be used in many different ways

Polypodium pteropus Blume, Microsorum pteropus (Blume) Ching, Colysis pteropus (Blume) Bosman, Leptochilus pteropus (Blume) Fraser-Jenk.

Microsórum ptéropus (Blume) Copeland

Polypodiaceae

Microsorum

Leptochilus decurrens

Epiphytes

very easy

slow

need

5-8

4-30℃

0-14 dKH

0-30 °dGH

Proliferating leaves, Proliferating roots, Rhizomteilung, Splitting, Cutting off daughter plants

yes