Ceratopteris pteridioides
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Common Name: water fern
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Parkeriaceae
Zone: 9 to 11
Native Range: Tropical America
Height: 0.75 to 1.5 feet
Spread: 0.75 to 1.5 feet
Bloom Time: Non-flowering
Bloom Color: 
Bloom Description: 
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Wet
Maintenance: Low
Uses: Rain Garden, Suitable as Annual, Water Plant

Culture

This aquatic fern is winter hardy to USDA Zones 9-11. In the St. Louis area, it must be grown as an annual or overwintered indoors in bright light in an aquarium whose waters are at least 65F degrees. Set this fern out on still water. It grows free-floating on the water surface with a mass of roots underneath or it may root in the shallow muddy margins of a water body. Best grown in part shade.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Floating fern or water fern is an aquatic, rosette-forming, pan-tropical, short-lived perennial that is noted for its deeply cut and serrated leaves that somewhat resemble Italian parsley. The larger fertile fronds are deeply cut and serrated, typically growing somewhat erect to 16” long. The pinnately-lobed, more leaf-like, sterile fronds grow to 8” long and float. Non-flowering. Typically grows from Florida to Brazil. Genus name comes from the Greek words for horn (keras) and fern (pteris) in reference to the horn-like lobes of the sterile fronds.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems.

Garden Uses

Water gardens or ponds.

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