Nephrolepis exaltata

Plant Characteristics

Origin:	✈	?

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	?"?" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property.
Water:	◍	?"?" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property.

Scientific Names

Lomariopsidaceae >

Nephrolepis >

exaltata >

Read about Nephrolepis exaltata in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Nephrolepis exaltata, Schott. Sword-fern. Lvs. rather rigid and erect, 2-5 ft. long, 3-6 in. wide, oblong, tapering toward the point, the pinna rather close, acute, entire or crenulate, the upper side auricled. Fla. to Brazil, Hong-Kong and E. Afr.—This description applies only to the wild species. It is impossible to give a description which will include all the forms which have been derived from this species. Each distinct form needs separate treatment. The varieties of N. exaltata have practically all arisen in the last twenty years, since the early nineties. At that time this species was grown to some extent by florists as a house-plant but was not more common than many flowering species. It happened, however, that in a lot of this species of about 200 plants, shipped by Robt. Craig & Co., of Philadelphia, to F. C. Becker of Cambridge, Mass., there was discovered one plant which differed from the ordinary exaltata in being more graceful, slightly broader, and a quicker grower. The purchaser identified this plant as tne species acuminata or, as it was then called, davallioides, and proceeded to raise and sell it by the scores of thousands. Later, when a specimen of the fern came into the hands of G. W. Oliver, the latter raised the question of its identification and declared that it was not davaUioides but exaltata, though not the typical form. For some time thereafter Messrs. Becker and Oliver exchanged opinions in the "Florists' Exchange," until Oliver's determination was accepted. The nomenclature commission of The Society of American Florists did not feel competent to give a name to the new variety so it was sent to Kew where it was suggested that the neighborhood of its discovery might well be honored by calling it bostoniensis. This name was given in 1896. The fern had been on the market for a year or more previously. (TRUNCATED/UNEDITED - go to original for entire text) CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Cultivation

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Propagation

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Pests and diseases

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Gallery

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  photo 1

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  photo 2

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  Wild Boston fern

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  Wild Boston fern

References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

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