Variety of Java fern
Needle leaf java fern
Leptochilus pteropus 'Needle Leaf'
One of 15 varieties of Leptochilus pteropus · See all varieties →
Also known as Microsorum pteropus 'Needle Leaf', Microsorum pteropus 'Needle', Leptochilus pteropus 'Needle', Microsorum pteropus 'True Needle Leaf', Java fern Needle Leaf, Needle java fern
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
- 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
- Tropical Asia (trade form, exact origin unknown)
Overview
Tie or glue needle leaf java fern to wood or stone and keep the rhizome out of the substrate, where it would rot. It grows in low light with no CO2, and growth is very slow. Leaves stay near 10 cm for a long time and reach about 30 cm on old plants, so a young clump suits a nano tank or the front of the hardscape and an older one the midground. Keep light low to moderate, because strong light can scorch the thin tips. Split the rhizome or pull off plantlets from older leaves to propagate it.
In the wild
Needle leaf java fern is a trade form, and no reliable record shows where it was first collected. Flowgrow gives tropical Asia as the fern's origin, and US shops list Indonesia. The parent species, Leptochilus pteropus, grows on wet rocks, roots and wood along forest streams in Southeast Asia, above or below the waterline as stream levels change.
Good to know
Needle leaf is a form of java fern (Polypodiaceae), now Leptochilus pteropus but still sold as Microsorum pteropus. Its leaves are limp, strap-shaped ribbons only 3 to 5 mm wide, medium to dark green, with a wavy edge and a thick midrib. Needle leaf sets its leaves close together on the rhizome, and dark brown scales cover their undersides. Narrow leaf java fern has lance-shaped leaves 1 to 2 cm wide.
Did you know
Two different ferns are sold as Needle Leaf. Flowgrow keeps the name for this small one with 3 to 5 mm leaves, while the larger form, which it calls 'Taiwan', grows leaves up to 2 cm wide and 45 cm long.