| Description: |
A small, tufted fern. The few leaves are hand-shaped. |
| Origin: |
West Indies to Peru, Argentina |
| Environment: |
Suitable for the home or a greenhouse |
| Lighting Needs: |
Does best in full sunlight coming from the East/West |
| Soil Type: |
Use a GOOD rich potting soil (a soil that retains water yet drains well), such as an African violet mix. If you want to mix your own take:
2 parts garden soil, 2 parts humus (leaf mold), 1 part coarse sand or perlite, 1 part rinsed aquarium charcoal chips and a little fine grade fir bark.
Always use a pot with a hole.
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| Watering: |
Keep the soil evenly moist at all times. Use warm water. |
| Fertilizer: |
Feed every two weeks with a water soluble fertilizer. An alternative is a granular slow release fertilizer if applied annually in the early spring. |
| Plant Pests: |
Prone to scale, mealy bugs and aphids. Always inspect any new plant for pests before introducing it to your home or greenhouse. |
| Propagation: |
Spores
in the spring.
Take spores from ripe spore cases on the undersides of the fronds. Put the spores in an envelope and allow to dry. Place a brick in a plastic box or pan and put 2 inches (5cm) of distilled water in it and cover the brick with a quarter inch of moist peat. Sprinkle spores on the peat and cover the container with a piece of glass or plastic. Be sure to maintain the water level. Place in low light, after a few months a green moss like growth should cover the peat. Eventually leaves will appear, divide and transplant after they are 2 inches (5cm) tall.
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| Gardening Tips & Care: |
Place pebbles or gravel in the drainage dish to hold water and increase the humidity, make sure the pot is sitting on the gravel and not in the water and mist occasionally with warm water (lime free to avoid leaf staining).
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