Variety of Java fern
Gold Sparkle java fern
Leptochilus pteropus 'Gold Sparkle'
One of 15 varieties of Leptochilus pteropus · See all varieties →
Also known as Microsorum pteropus 'Gold Sparkle', Microsorum 'Gold Sparkle', Java fern Gold Sparkle
FreshwaterBrackishRhizomeRhizome divisionPlantlets
Varieties · Leptochilus pteropus
See all 15 →
Care at a glance
- Light
- Low light
- CO2
- No CO₂ needed
- Temperature
- 64–82°F
- 18–28°C
- Max height
- 7.9 in
- 20 cm
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Placement
- Epiphyte
- Type
- Rhizome
- pH
- 5.0–7.5
- Hardness
- 2–15 dGH
- Spread
- 7.9 in (20 cm)
- Nutrient uptake
- Water column
- Growth region
- Submersed or emersed
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Family
- Polypodiaceae
- Origin
- Cultivated form (nursery selection, no wild range)
Overview
Gold Sparkle java fern is a beginner java fern that grows to about 20 cm and fits the midground.
Did you know
Gold Sparkle java fern keeps its gold in its young leaves. Each new leaf opens lime to gold and greens as it matures. A plant that stops growing tends to turn all green until new leaves appear.
Caring for Gold Sparkle java fern
Attach Gold Sparkle java fern to wood or rock like any java fern, with the rhizome kept above the substrate. It takes 64 to 82°F (18 to 28°C) and also tolerates brackish water.
Low light and no CO2 are enough, and strong light mostly feeds algae on a fern this slow. It feeds from the water, and a liquid fertilizer speeds its growth.
Plants vary from mostly gold to mostly green, and the balance can shift with conditions. Judge the color on new leaves. Detach plantlets from older leaves once they have roots and two or three leaves, or cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each.
Good to know
Gold Sparkle is a cultivar of Leptochilus pteropus in the family Polypodiaceae, sold as Microsorum pteropus 'Gold Sparkle'. Its new leaves often carry orange-red tips. The leaves are narrow, with small, irregular lobes along the edge. Sunrise, another form with colored new growth, has broader leaves with deeper, jagged lobes.
In the wild
Gold Sparkle java fern is a cultivated form with no wild population. A Thai grower sells it, Buce Plant and Glass Aqua added it in August 2022, and Aquarium Plants Factory followed in 2023. Its parent species grows on rocks and wood along shaded streams in Southeast Asia, both underwater and on wet banks above the waterline.
Common questions
Is Gold Sparkle java fern a different species from java fern?
No. Gold Sparkle java fern is a variety of java fern, Leptochilus pteropus. It reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm), against 11.8 in (30 cm) for the species.
Does Gold Sparkle java fern need to be planted in the substrate?
No. Gold Sparkle java fern grows attached to rock or wood, so tie or glue the rhizome in place. If you plant its roots, keep the rhizome above the substrate, since a buried rhizome rots.
Does Gold Sparkle java fern need CO2?
No. Gold Sparkle java fern grows well without added CO2 and suits a low-tech tank.
How much light does Gold Sparkle java fern need?
Gold Sparkle java fern is a low-light plant, and the light that comes with a standard tank kit is enough for it.
Does Gold Sparkle java fern need root tabs?
No. Gold Sparkle java fern feeds from the water, so a liquid fertilizer suits it better. Root tabs only help if its roots reach into the substrate.
How do you propagate Gold Sparkle java fern?
Gold Sparkle java fern propagates by rhizome division and plantlets. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece. Small plantlets form on the plant and can be detached once they have a few roots.
How tall does Gold Sparkle java fern grow?
Gold Sparkle java fern grows to about 7.9 in (20 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.