Maidenhair Spleenwort
Asplenium trichomanes
Ferns Difficulty: Easy
📖 About this plant
A tiny, delicate fern with slender black wiry stems and small, rounded dark green pinnae arranged in a ladder-like pattern. One of the most widely distributed ferns in the world, it grows naturally in rock crevices, stone walls, and cliff faces. Its diminutive size makes it ideal for rock gardens and alpine troughs.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
☀️
Light
Low to medium indirect
💧
Water
Every 1-2 weeks
💨
Humidity
Moderate to high (50-70%)
🌡️
Temperature
10-25°C
🪴
Soil
Well-draining, rocky, lime-rich or acidic soil; grows naturally in crevices and walls
🧪
Fertilizer
Generally not needed; top dress with leaf mold or compost in spring if desired
🌐 Common Names
HI
Hindi
मेडेनहेयर स्प्लीनवर्ट
BN
Bengali
মেইডেনহেয়ার স্প্লিনওয়ার্ট
MR
Marathi
मेडेनहेयर स्प्लीनवर्ट
TE
Telugu
మేడెన్హేర్ స్ప్లీన్వార్ట్
TA
Tamil
மைடன்ஹேர் ஸ்ப்லீன்வோர்ட்
GU
Gujarati
મેડેનહેર સ્પ્લીનવોર્ટ
UR
Urdu
میڈن ہیر اسپلین وارٹ
KN
Kannada
ಮೇಡೆನ್ಹೇರ್ ಸ್ಪ್ಲೀನ್ವಾರ್ಟ್
OR
Odia
ମେଡେନହେର ସ୍ପ୍ଲିନୱାର୍ଟ
ML
Malayalam
മെയ്ഡൺഹെയർ സ്പ്ലീൻവർട്ട്
PA
Punjabi
ਮੇਡਨ ਹੇਅਰ ਸਪਲੀਨਵਾਰਟ
AS
Assamese
মেইডেনহেয়াৰ স্প্লিনৱাৰ্ট
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Widespread globally — Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, and Australasia
- 📏 Max height
- 15-30 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 15-30 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Non-flowering
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Non-flowering (produces spores)
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Dark Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic to humans and pets
- 🌱 Propagation
- Division of clumps; spore propagation; transplant from rocky crevices
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic to humans and pets
Common issues
- Crispy brown fronds from dry conditions
- Root rot
- Spider mites
💡 Care tips
- Hardy native fern found in rocky crevices worldwide
- Tolerates cold better than most cultivated ferns
- Small compact fronds make it perfect for rock gardens
- Grows well in both indoor and outdoor shaded locations
🪴 Add to My Plants
One click — added instantly. Watering every 11 days, fertilizing every 30 days.
