Adiantum raddianum

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Plant
ID 427 Adiantum raddianum
Botanic Name Adiantum raddianum
Common Name Common Maidenhair, Bush Maidenhair
Family Name Pteridaceae / Adiantaceae
Cultivars 'Charlotte Parvifolium','Longton' s Pride','Frangrantissimum', 'Fritz Luthi', syn. Adiantum aethiopicum, A. cuneatum
Origin Tropical America, Zone 10-12
Growth Type Fern
Bark Type Stemless / Acaulescent
Foliage Type Evergreen Water Use Medium
No. of Species 200
Growth Habit Clumping Growth Rate Medium
Height 0.3 - 0.5 m (1 - 2 ft) Spread 1 m (3 ft)
Plant Overview
This soft fern has suckering short rhizomes that form a clump with wiry-like branched triangular-shaped fronds. The fronds have small light to dark green leaflets are delicate and semi pendant and the fertile fronds appear during early summer.
Leaf
Type Compound Additional Information
Shape Pinnate
The pinnate triangular fronds are up to 600 mm (2 ft) long with a black petiole up to 100 mm (4 in) long. They are 3-pinnate consist of numerous cuneate segments that are up to 13 mm (½ in) wide with minutely toothed or lobed margins.
Arrangement Basal
Margin Crenate
Colour Light green
Size 180 - 200 mm ( 7.1 - 7.9 in )
Flower
Perfume Odorless Additional Information
Shape
The fertile fronds have sporangia that are reniform (kidney shape) with 1 to 4 sori per pinnule and are deeply embedded on the underside of the lobe.
Inflorescence Sori
Colour Brown
Size 0 - 0 mm ( 0.0 - 0.0 in )
Flowering in
(Southern Hemisphere)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Fruit
Type Sporangium Additional Information
Colour Brown
The spores are produced in the sporangium during the sporophyte stage of the fern life cycle in rows on the back of the fertile frond. The spores are very small (like fine dust) and are released from the sori when mature.
Edible No
Bird Attractive No
Size 0 - 0 mm ( 0.0 - 0.0 in )
Fruiting in
(Southern Hemisphere)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Environment & Cultivation
Natural Soil Well drained organic rich, moist, sandy-stony soil acidic-alkaline, pH 5.5-8.0
Container Pots, tubs, hanging baskets, tubs and terrariums, under glass in cold regions
Climate Sub-tropical
Aspect Semi -shade to filtered light, humid position wind, frost and drought tender
Pest & Diseases Snails, slugs, caterpillars, leaf burn, frost burn, greenhouse whitefly
Fertiliser Mulch with leaf mould, potted plants apply dilute liquid fertiliser monthly in the growing period
Pruning Remove spent fronds or cut back hard to ground level if leaves die off
Cultural Uses Propagation
Common Maidenhair is grown for its soft lacy appearance and its cascading habit. It is commonly cultivated as a potted specimen or planted in moist shady rockeries and as an understorey in gully plantings. It is also planted around water features.
Place spores on sterilised sphagnum moss or peat moss, bricks or terracotta pot base then cover with glass and keep moist. 4 to 6 weeks until prothalli appears. True fronds appear between 6 - 12 months after sowing.
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