Browse plants / Aspleniaceae
Bird's nest fern Asplenium australasicum
When it flowers
- January, not flowering
- February, not flowering
- March, not flowering
- April, not flowering
- May, not flowering
- June, not flowering
- July, not flowering
- August, not flowering
- September, not flowering
- October, not flowering
- November, not flowering
- December, not flowering
Bold fern with a vase of broad, glossy fronds, for shade gardens, trees and pots.
A rainforest fern that grows on trees and rocks, forming a large rosette of broad, undivided fronds that catch falling leaves. In gardens it grows in pots, in very free-draining beds or tied to a tree. Indoors it makes a long-lived pot plant.
In the garden
- Flowers
- Inconspicuous
- Attracts
- Shelter for small wildlife
- Leaves
- Broad, glossy, strap-shaped fronds with a dark midrib, forming a vase.
Growing conditions
- Climate
- Tropical, subtropical and temperate
- Light
- Part shade to full shade
- Soil
- Sandy and loam
- Drainage
- Needs good drainage
- Frost
- Light frost
- Water
- Some dry spells
- Coast
- Sheltered coastal gardens
Planting and care
- Grown from
- Seed
Planting
Shade or filtered light in very open, free-draining mix; can be tied into a tree fork. Avoid burying the crown.
Pruning
Cut off old brown fronds at the base.
Care
Water into the centre in dry weather but don't keep the mix soggy. Harsh sun scorches the fronds.
Where it comes from
- Family
- Aspleniaceae
- Order
- Polypodiales
- Native to
- New South Wales and Queensland
- Natural range
- Rainforest of eastern Queensland and NSW.
Where to buy
Widely available.
We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.
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Further reading
- Asplenium australasicum on the Atlas of Living Australia (Atlas of Living Australia)
Native nurseries near you
An independent list of nurseries that specialise in Australian native plants. Nobody pays to be on it. Distances are approximate and in a straight line. Opening hours and stock vary, so check before you go.