Microsorum pteropus 'Petite' Care Guide

Compact small-leaved cultivar of Java fern that stays under 10 cm, an epiphytic rhizome plant suited to nano scapes on wood or rock.

Overview

Microsorum pteropus 'Petite' is a dwarf cultivar of the Java fern, a fern in the family Polypodiaceae. The species is an epiphyte that attaches to surfaces rather than rooting in substrate; the 'Petite' selection keeps its leaves compact, generally under about 10 cm, which makes it suited to small or nano layouts attached to small wood pieces. Like the parent species, it is hardy and undemanding.

Taxonomy

Family: Polypodiaceae
Genus: Microsorum (the species is also treated under the genus Leptochilus following taxonomic revision)
Scientific name: Microsorum pteropus 'Petite'
Common name: Petite Java Fern

Habitat

The parent species of Java fern occurs in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand, northeastern India and southern China, where it grows attached to riparian roots and rocks. It can grow fully or partially submerged as long as its roots and rhizome remain wet. 'Petite' is a cultivated selection rather than a wild population.

Tank requirements

Light: low (tolerates dim conditions; intense direct light can encourage algae on the leaves)
CO2: not required (supplementation can increase growth but is optional)
Temperature: 20-28 °C (68-82 °F)
pH: 6.0-7.5
GH: 3-12 °dGH
Maximum height: about 10 cm
Placement: attach the rhizome to wood or rock; do not bury the rhizome or it will rot

Care and growth

Java fern is slow-growing and low-maintenance. The rhizome must remain above the substrate; tie or glue it to hardscape until its own rootlets anchor it. Dark spots that appear under the leaves are sporangia (reproductive organs), not disease. The plant is reported to be snail-resistant and tolerant of a wide range of conditions.

Propagation

Propagation is easiest by splitting the horizontal rhizome into sections, each carrying leaves and roots. Java ferns also reproduce asexually by producing small adventitious plantlets at leaf tips and margins of mature foliage; these develop their own roots and can be detached and attached elsewhere.