Lygodium palmatum: Country Or Region Of Origin
Eastern United States
Plant Profile: Lygodium palmatum
Taxonomy: Lygodium palmatumNames
American Climbing Fern, Climbing Fern, Creeping Fern, Hartford Fern
Phonetic Spelling:li-GO-dee-um pahl-MAY-tum
Genus:Lygodium
Species:palmatum
Family:Lygodiaceae
The American Climbing Fern, indigenous to the Eastern United States, is classified as threatened in several states. This species thrives in environments with ample sunlight, consistent moisture, and acidic soil, typically found in thickets, bogs, marshes, and both open and closed woodlands. Its primary habitat is located in the Appalachian Mountains.
Commonly referred to as the Hartford Fern, it holds the distinction of being the first plant in the United States to receive legal protection in Connecticut, a measure taken to prevent its collection for Christmas decorations.
Lygodium palmatum Feature Summary
Lygodium palmatum Image Gallery
Tags
#full sun tolerant
#specimen
#fern
#wetlands
#endangered
#NC native
#vines
#deer resistant
#native garden
#acidic soil tolerant
#bog gardens
#woodlands
Similar Plants
Lygodium palmatum is often confused with:
Lygodium palmatum Feature Summary
Attributes
Eastern United States
AL , CT , DE , FL , GA , ID , KS , KY , MA , MD , MI , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WV
This plant is seldom damaged by deer.
Perennial
Twining
Fruit
No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
Flowers
No flowers.
Leaves
3-7 lobed leaves are palmately divided (appear hand-like). Leaves are 1-2 inches long and 2-4 inches wide.
Broadleaf Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Green
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Other/more complex
Ovate
Lobed
1-3 inches
Slippery
3-6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Native Plant
Vine
Fern
Broadleaf Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Creeping
Climbing
Medium
Medium
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Occasionally Wet
12-24 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Stem
Green
Landscape
Winter Garden
Native Garden
Accent
Screen/Privacy
Specimen
Deer
Wet Soil
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Pond
Lygodium palmatum Image Gallery
Lygodium palmatum Attributes
Lygodium palmatum: Distribution
AL , CT , DE , FL , GA , ID , KS , KY , MA , MD , MI , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WV
Lygodium palmatum: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
This plant is seldom damaged by deer.
Lygodium palmatum: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Lygodium palmatum: Climbing Method
Clinging
Scrambler
Tendrils
Twining
Lygodium palmatum Fruit
Lygodium palmatum: Fruit Description
No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
Lygodium palmatum Flowers
Lygodium palmatum: Flower Description
No flowers.
Lygodium palmatum Leaves
Lygodium palmatum: Leaf Description
3-7 lobed leaves are palmately divided (appear hand-like). Leaves are 1-2 inches long and 2-4 inches wide.
Lygodium palmatum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Lygodium palmatum: Leaf Color
Green
Lygodium palmatum: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Lygodium palmatum: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Lygodium palmatum: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Lygodium palmatum: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Lygodium palmatum: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Lygodium palmatum: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Lygodium palmatum: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Lygodium palmatum: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Lygodium palmatum Whole Plant Traits
Lygodium palmatum: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Lygodium palmatum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Lygodium palmatum: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Lygodium palmatum: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Lygodium palmatum: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Lygodium palmatum: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Lygodium palmatum Cultural Conditions
Lygodium palmatum: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Lygodium palmatum: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Lygodium palmatum: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Lygodium palmatum: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Lygodium palmatum: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Lygodium palmatum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Lygodium palmatum: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Lygodium palmatum Stem
Lygodium palmatum: Stem Color
Green
Lygodium palmatum: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Lygodium palmatum Landscape
Lygodium palmatum: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Lygodium palmatum: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Lygodium palmatum: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Lygodium palmatum: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
