'Thai' variant Microsorum pteropus (Thai Java Fern) 5cm pot

'Thai' variant Microsorum pteropus (Thai Java Fern) 5cm pot

Scientific Name: Microsorum pteropus 'Thai'

Trade name: Java Fern, Microsorum
Difficulty: Easy

'Thai' Java Fern has large, translucent, green, leaves growing from a creeping rhizome. Some of the leaves are divided and it is a very attractive rare variant.  Originally coming from Thailand, 'Thai’ Microsorum grows naturally on rocks and tree bases, along the edges of rivers and streams. In nature, it grows both fully and partially submerged and can even grow out of water in high-humidity, tropical rainforests.

The Microsorum rhizome prefers to creep along the surface of the substrate, driftwood, or rock hardscaping. Leave it in the 5cm pot or remove the pot and grow-wool. Do not bury the rhizome, but perhaps tie it to some hardscaping with a piece of fishing line until it is established.

These plants are foliar feeders and may benefit from some ENRICH plant fertilizer when performing your regular water changes. They enjoy some water movement so can be placed near a filter or powerhead. 

Sometimes these aquatic ferns will grow spores that look like evenly spaced brown dots on the backs of the leaves. Very lucky people may even find small plantlets growing on the leaf margins.