Monarch Fern
Phymatosorus scolopendria (fy-ma-toh-SOR-us skol-oh-PEND-ree-uh)
The wart fern is a rhizomatous, lithophyte or epiphyte, herbaceous perennial fern that is native to the dry tropical regions of Africa, Asia, Australia, Polynesia, and the East Indies. It grows 1 to 2 feet tall and equally as wide and is pinnately lobed. This plant can be used as a groundcover, bedding plant, container planting, or houseplant. It is a member of the polypody family (Polypodiaceae). The genus name, Phymatosorus , means "warted" and refers to the sori. The specific epithet, scolopendria , means "millipede" and refers to the rows of numerous sori on the underside of the fern. This fern prefers partial to full shade and moist, well-drained, organically rich soil. It is winter hardy in USDA Zones 10 to 11. This plant prefers high humidity. Consider using a humidifier or setting the plant container on a tray of wet pebbles to increase the interior humidity. Once established, this plant is moderately drought-tolerant. It can be propagated by division of its rhizomes. Strongly rhizomatous, this plant will spread indefinitely in areas where it is planted. The wart fern can escape cultivation and naturalize. It has been reported as invasive in Haleakala National Park in Hawaii. The wart fern grows moderately to rapidly and has adventitious, hairy roots. The rhizomes are brownish-black and scaly. It can crawl along the ground and climb up walls, trees, and rocky sites. The fronds are light to dark green, broad, flat, smooth, leathery, pinnately divided, deeply lobed with 1 to 8 pairs, and measure up to 16 inches long and 16 inches wide. They have up to 6 lateral lobes, and the midrib and veins are raised on both the upper and lower surfaces of the frond. Young fronds are simple and have an elliptic to narrow ovate shape. The sori are rusty to orangish-brown and round to elliptical. They are on the undersides of the fronds, but they are sunken so deeply that they cause wart-like projections to appear on the upper surface of the fronds. The common name, wart fern, references the wart-like projections caused by the sori. This sculptural fern is commonly used as a houseplant or in a hanging basket. In tropical climates, this plant is a good groundcover. The cut fronds can be used in floral arrangements. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect pests or diseases.
Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 40 attributes.