Wart Fern is a tropical ground cover native to Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, and Polynesia that thrives in USDA Zones 10-11. This strongly rhizomatous fern earns its distinctive common name from deeply sunken sori on the undersides of its fronds, which create wart-like bumps visible on the upper surface. Growing 12 to 24 inches tall and wide, it spreads indefinitely along the ground, clambers up walls and tree trunks, and drapes gracefully from hanging baskets. In full sun to partial shade with evenly moist, well-drained soil, this fern becomes an excellent living carpet for tropical and subtropical gardens.
Partial Sun
Moderate
10-11
24in H x 24in W
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Moderate
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The deeply sunken sori create a tactile texture unlike most ferns, with wart-like bumps that give this plant its memorable common name and distinctive character. Its rhizomatous growth habit means it literally crawls across the ground, making it exceptionally useful for covering bare patches, softening hardscaping, or cascading from containers. Unlike many ferns confined to shade, Wart Fern thrives in full sun to partial shade, giving you flexibility in placement. Most notably, it will climb up walls, tree trunks, and rocky areas with equal enthusiasm, so it acts simultaneously as a ground cover and a living sculpture.
Wart Fern serves as an excellent ground cover in tropical and subtropical gardens, particularly where you need a living carpet that crawls along the ground indefinitely. It excels at naturalizing wild areas, rocky outcrops, and woodland floors where it can spread freely. The fern also climbs tree trunks and walls, turning bare vertical surfaces into lush green features. In containers and hanging baskets, its drooping fronds create an elegant cascading effect.
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Divide rhizomes and transplant sections into well-drained, evenly moist soil in full sun to partial shade. Space plants 12 to 24 inches apart, depending on how quickly you want coverage.
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“Wart Fern is native to a wide geographic range spanning Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, and Polynesia, suggesting it has been part of tropical and subtropical ecosystems for millennia. Its common name emerged from European horticultural observation of the distinctive wart-like bumps caused by sunken sori on the frond undersides, reflecting how colonists and botanists named plants by their most striking visual features. Today it remains a staple in tropical gardening and native plant restoration across its native regions.”