The Japanese climbing fern is a terrestrial, herbaceous perennial climber in the fan-fern family (Schizaeaceae). Its origins are Japan, tropical Asia and Australia. The species epithet is Latin for “Japanese.” The plant will grow in both sun and shade in both disturbed and undisturbed areas. It likes loamy soil with good drainage. It grows in moist habitats but can also be found in dry pine flatlands. Control is difficult and it will quickly grow back after a burn so can not be controlled by fire. Herbicides have had some effect. It can climb to 90 feet covering shrubs and trees. The root system is rhizomatous and forms a dense mat up to 10 feet deep. The spores form along the margins of the lacy fronds and are dispersed by the wind. It is evergreen in tropical areas and deciduous in areas with frost. This species is NOT recommended for landscape or garden use. With warming winters in NC, this species may become a significant threat to native ecosystems. Quick ID Hints: Climber with fern leaves Fronds have elongated pinnules and twining rachis Sori borne on finger-like lobes of pinnules Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems : No known diseases or pest issues, but this fern is itself a problem. It can grow quickly to smother trees. It also creates mats over the ground preventing seed germination. Japanese climbing fern is listed as invasive by the North Carolina Invasive Plant Council and the South Carolina Exotic Pest Plant Council. It is considered invasive in several southern states and a noxious weed in Florida. See alternatives to the left. VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington , Director of JC Raulston Arboretum .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
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)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
12-24 feet; 24-60 feet; more than 60 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 90 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
The twice-pinnately compound leaves are vinelike fronds that can grow 90 feet long. Leaflets are usually triangular in shape, 3-6 in. long, 2-3 in. wide and finely dissected with hairs on the undersurface. They are pinnately compound to decompound and dimorphic. Pinnae are borne on rachis in distant pairs on short stalks. The sterile pinnae is entire to serrate, with an elongated terminal pinnul. Lateral pinnules are 2-3 per side and are unequal. The smaller pinnaes are fertile, with pinnules developing finger-like lobes. Stipes and rachis are wiry and twinging.
Flower detail
No flowers.
Fruit detail
No fruits. This plants reproduces via wind dispersed spores.
Stem color
Black; Green; Orange
Stem detail
Vines are thin, wiry, green to orange to black, very strong and twining
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Japan, Tropical Asia, Austrailia
Distribution
AL, AR, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, NC, PA, PR, SC, TX
Food & Medicine
Uses (ethnobotany)
The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use and for its stems, which are used in basketry.