# propogating ferns



## sbreland (May 4, 2006)

OK, that may not be the right term, but I am not exactly the plant guy (I leave that to Antone and Harry and the others), but I am curious about splitting up ferns. I think I have heard that with ferms like rabbits foot and possum tail ferns you can cut a piece of the rhizome off and propogate it as a separate plant. Is that correct? Second, (assuming the first is correct) for ferns like maidenhair and others that don't have those kind of exposed rhizomes to split off, how can you take a plant that is of decent size and split it into many smaller plants? My reason for asking is that I have just gotten a number of nice ferns and want to put them in a new viv, but rather than have a huge clump of maidenhair here and a huge clump of rabbits foot there and so on I want to take "cuttings" for lack of a better work or maybe small sections of each and make a spot that has 2 or 3 types kinda growing together. I think th clumpy look can be OK but looks pretty unnatural as in every pic Ihave ever seen the re are numerous types all growing together and this is what I want to emulate. Plant geniuses, I ask your help.


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## Frog10 (Oct 18, 2006)

Im pretty sure you can just separate each fern from the roots. Not positive though


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Most rhizomatous ferns can be propagated from rhizome cuttings. Just make sure you take at least 4 to 6 inches worth or so. Some rhizo ferns I've not had luck with like ET Fern Polypodium formosanum. It seems to not take well to cuttings.

The ferns like the Maidenhair I *think* can only be propagated from spore. I'm not positive though. If the specimen was large enough, you might be able to wash the roots clean and see a good spot to split it. Just be careful b/c this can and will stress the plant.


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## sbreland (May 4, 2006)

OK, that's what i was hoping for. I just hink it looks better having a clump of a couple types of fern together rather than one type here and one type there... I'll give it a try when I get back from Vegas.


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

Almost any fern can be propagated by division. Adiantum (Maidenhair) is easily done by just slicing up the root ball. Of course, you need to get some rhizome and root with each division. Many of the large rhizome ferns are like Antone said. Just take a rhizome cutting (roots or not) and lay it on a growing service of sphagnum or a free draining mix. Most all will take hold quickly in high humidity situations. I also get lots of spore that produce plants all over the place but normally it's not ones I would like.


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## Studdlygoof (Feb 10, 2007)

If you are going to be going about your propagation through leaf cuttings make sure you use a very sharp and STERILE knife...i can't tell you how many leaf cuttings i have lost to mold due to the open would on the plant...some rooting hormone would also help...i believe i saw some at the local H Depot the other day....


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

I am not aware of any ferns that propagate from fronds or pinna. Some do produce bulblets on the fronds and they can be propagated from these as well as some produce plantlets at the tips of the fronds. But, this is very go advice for vegetative cutting of any plant.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

harrywitmore said:


> *I am not aware of any ferns that propagate from fronds* or pinna. Some do produce bulblets on the fronds and they can be propagated from these as well as some produce plantlets at the tips of the fronds. But, this is very go advice for vegetative cutting of any plant.


Does Lycopodium count? :wink:


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

Lycopodium and Selaginella are not ferns but fern allies so, no, they don't count.  But, let me say this also. You never know till you try.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Well they aren't *true* ferns but reproduce and grow just like them so they might as well be. The only reason they aren't is b/c some botanist decided to confuse us all.


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## sbreland (May 4, 2006)

Well at any rate it looks like I have some plant surgery to scrub in for soon! Thanks for the replies guys.


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## EvilLost (Jan 10, 2011)

can anyone clarify how exactly to propogate from spores or otherwise?


I have an "australian fern" (thats what the label said anyway...i'm still learning my plants). the new leaf forming started out as a brown fuzzy thing and uncurled itself lengthwise and then litte stems uncurled off that...is this a rhizome (i dont think it is b/c it is very different from the rhizome I know on my other ferns as the furry root parts?)

I have tried propagating via cutting but as expected this did not work at all. the plant I have is very large (about 5' tall, 5' across) and has one massive ball of stem that can not really be split...is there any other way I can splice this plant?

sorry my terminology is awful I know, please correct it !


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## josh_r (Feb 4, 2005)

Many species of fern are very easy to grow from spore. I'll shoot you a pm when I'm done with work.


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