Java fern, the best plant for your aquarium or pond

Microsorium pteropus is the scientific name of the Java fern

If you are one of those who enjoy spending a lot of time in front of an aquarium or next to a pond, seeing how both the flora and fauna that live in it make their lives, there is a plant being with which you will surely get that whole ecosystem to be still better the Java fern.

This is a plant that grows near fresh water courses, but we can also find it behaving as if it were aquatic. So you are not going to have any problem with it. Would you like to meet him?

Origin and characteristics

The Java fern lives in marshy terrain

The Java fern, whose scientific name is Microsorum pteropus, is a plant that has long lanceolate leaves, up to 25-30 centimeters. It is green in color, with a dark brown midrib. At first glance, it is very reminiscent of the appearance of another fern, the Asplenium, but this one does not like living in marshy areas too much 🙂 and it also has the longest leaves (40-100cm depending on the variety).

Four varieties are known:

  • I have microsorum pteropus. narrow
  • I have microsorum pteropus. windelov
  • I have microsorum pteropus. trident
  • I have microsorum pteropus. mini

What are their cares?

If you want to get a copy, we recommend providing the following care:

Location

  • Estanque: in semi-shade, but it has to give it more light than shade.
  • Aquarius: it must be in a room where a lot of natural light enters, or failing that, the aquarium must have artificial lighting (LED lamps, like the one you can buy here).

Type of water

The ideal water for the Java fern is the one that does not contain lime; However, you should know that it is a plant that does not usually have too many problems adapting to living in areas with somewhat hard waters. In addition, it also supports salt.

Multiplication

Spores

Spores are the equivalent of seeds. They arose more than 400 million years ago, and it was one of the first methods of reproduction of plants. Today it is still very much alive: mushrooms and a tree, Ginkgo biloba, continue to use it; besides of course the ferns, like the one in Java.

If you want to have a few more copies of this plant, you have to do the following:

  1. The first thing you have to do is collect the spores. These will be on the underside of the leaves, and will look like brown grated bumps.
  2. Then, fill a tupperware with universal growing medium, water it and put it in the microwave for a few seconds.
  3. Then, with tweezers or, if you prefer, with the handle of a small spoon, scratch the leaf while holding it inside the tupperware so that the spores fall on the substrate.
  4. Finally, cover the tupperware with transparent plastic and put it outside, in semi-shade.

Division

The Java fern has the peculiarity that children are born on the same leaves and from the same roots. Therefore, a very simple way to get new copies is separating these children, either by cutting the leaf and burying it a little, or by extracting one from the root and planting it elsewhere.

Pruning

Although it has a slow growth rate in the beginning, over time it adapts without problems to living in the aquarium or in the pond and its development accelerates. When that happens, you will have to prune it from time to time at the end of winter so it doesn't grow too big.

Plagues and diseases

The Java fern is very hardy; However, coinciding with the change of water in the leaves, brown spots may appear that spread throughout the rest of the plant. It is not a serious problem; in fact, soon green leaves sprout, but on some occasions you may lose the specimen.

To prevent this from happening, we recommend fertilizing with organic fertilizers for aquatic plants. Of course, it is very important that, if you have fish, you choose a product that is not toxic to them. By keeping the flora well fed, you will also avoid the appearance of algae.

Rusticity

It is a plant that it resists the cold well, but not the frost. If the temperature drops below 0º it will be necessary to put it in a heated room, otherwise it would soon turn black and die.

What uses is it given?

Java fern is used as a large aquarium plant

It is used as an ornamental plant, either to have in a closed area such as an aquarium, or in an open one such as a pond. But you can also have it in a pot without holes filled with peat previously moistened with water, or in a glass jar that measures at least 20cm in diameter.

As we have seen, it is not very difficult to care for. So if you liked what you have read about the Java fern, we advise you to get a copy. Surely you will be able to enjoy your purchase for many, many years.

Did you know this plant?


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