Drynaria

Family. Polypodiaceae.

Origin. Equatorial Africa, South and East Asia, Australia and Oceania.

Description. Drynaria are epiphytic or lithophytic ferns with large attractive fronds that intertwine to form a “basket” into which old leaves and other organic remains fall. Over time, they decompose to humus and nourish the plant. The rhizome is creeping, densely covered with red-brown scales. The leaves are glossy, divided into sterile and spore-bearing. Sterile leaves have more modest sizes - their length is only 4 - 30 cm. When young they are green, over time they become brown, forming a basket. The spore-bearing fronds are long - 60 - 90 cm, pinnately dissected, on petioles 20 - 30 cm long. The sporangia are arranged in beautiful parallel rows along the veins.

Height. Reaches 1 - 2 m in height.

Home care

Temperature conditions

At room temperature, this fern grows and develops well. 

Lighting

Prefers partial shade and shade. When the light is too bright, the leaves take on a reddish tint. 

Fern care

Most types of drynaria are seasonal plants; which can shed their leaves in the cold season or stop growing in late December - early April.

Substrate

They grow best on stumps, which give an additional decorative effect to this fern, or in a ready-made orchid mixture.

Feeding drynaria

Liquid fertilizer in half concentration during the period of active growth 2 times a month. 

Flowering time

Doesn't bloom.

Air humidity

Maintain high humidity for the drynaria by placing the container on a tray with wet pebbles or use a room humidifier. Misting is also possible.

Water the drynaria

Keep the soil evenly moist at any time of the year and do not overdry the earthen ball. 

Transplant

Repot as needed to replace the soil or when the plant outgrows its pot in the spring.

Reproduction

Propagation is by dividing adult specimens when replanting. Make sure that all cuttings have both types of leaves and roots. Drynaria can be propagated by spores, but this is a rather labor-intensive task.

Note

Fern is often used for medicinal purposes as an anthelmintic, expectorant and tonic.