TankBud

One species · 15 varieties

Java fern

Leptochilus pteropus

Also known as Microsorum pteropus, Polypodium pteropus

FreshwaterBrackishRhizomeRhizome divisionPlantlets

Java fern (Leptochilus pteropus)
Tsunamicarlos at English Wikipedia · Public domain

Care at a glance

Light
Low light
CO2
No CO₂ needed
Temperature
64–82°F
18–28°C
Max height
11.8 in
30 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
Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, northeastern India, southern China)

Pick a variety

One setup covers every variety on this page.

Overview

Java fern is a slow-growing fern that lives on wood and rock instead of in the substrate. It is a beginner plant and one of the most forgiving in the hobby.

Did you know

Java fern can live out of the water. In the wild it grows emersed on wet rocks and wood, as long as its rhizome and roots stay damp.

Caring for java fern

Tie or glue the rhizome to wood or rock and leave it on the surface. A rhizome buried in the substrate rots and kills the plant. The fine roots grip the hardscape, and over the months the plant creeps across it leaf by leaf.

Java fern grows in low light with no added CO2, and strong light mostly invites algae onto its slow leaves. It feeds through its rhizome and roots from the water, so a liquid fertilizer does more for it than root tabs.

Mature leaves grow black bumps along their undersides and edges, and old leaves sometimes brown off while tiny plants sprout from them. That is how java fern reproduces, and it is easy to mistake for disease. Pull a plantlet off once it has roots and tie it down as a new fern.

Windelov's lace tips, Trident's forks and Narrow Leaf's slim blades are all selections of the same fern, kept in circulation by nurseries because they hold their shape.

Good to know

Java fern is a fern in the family Polypodiaceae. Its accepted name is now Leptochilus pteropus, though shops still sell it as Microsorum pteropus. It grows from a creeping rhizome and holds on with fine brown holdfast roots rather than a true root system.

In the wild

Java fern is native to Southeast Asia, from Malaysia and Thailand to northeastern India and parts of southern China. It grows along streams, waterfalls and riverbanks, attached to rocks, roots and wood.

Common questions

Why are there black spots under the leaves?

They are spore patches and baby plantlets, not a disease. Leave them and you get free ferns.

Does java fern need substrate?

No. It grows attached to wood or rock, and it is one of the few plants that grows well in a bare-bottom tank.

Can java fern handle low light?

Yes, better than almost anything else in the hobby. Strong light mostly just invites algae onto its slow leaves.

Does java fern need CO2?

No. Java fern grows well without added CO2 and suits a low-tech tank.

Does java fern need root tabs?

No. 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 java fern?

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 java fern grow?

Java fern grows to about 11.8 in (30 cm) tall. It grows slowly and rarely needs trimming.