Pyrrosia lingua: Country Or Region Of Origin
China to Indo-China, South Korea, Nansei-shoto to Taiwan
Plant Profile: Pyrrosia lingua
Names
Felt Fern, Tongue Fern
Phonetic Spelling:pih-ROH-zha LIN-gwa
Genus:Pyrrosia
Species:lingua
Family:Polypodiaceae
The evergreen felt fern is a gradually growing species characterized by its long, shallow, creeping rhizomes. It produces upright fronds that stand between 12 to 18 inches tall, each featuring a tapered base. The presence of hairs and scales on the fronds imparts a soft, velvety texture.
This fern is an excellent choice for container gardening and can also thrive on slopes, tree trunks, logs, and rocks. When planting in containers, it is advisable to use a soil mix that includes orchid bark.
Pyrrosia lingua Feature Summary
Tags
#evergreen
#drought tolerant
#specimen
#epiphytic
#fern
#winter interest
#deer resistant
Similar Plants
Pyrrosia lingua is often confused with:
Pyrrosia lingua Feature Summary
Attributes
China to Indo-China, South Korea, Nansei-shoto to Taiwan
Heavy shade, Deer
medicinal
Perennial
Scrambler
Fruit
No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
Flowers
No flowers.
Leaves
Blade is leathery, lance shaped and tapers to a long pointed tip; lower blade is densely covered with persistent white to gray brown stellate hairs; stipe one fifth to one half the frond length.
Broadleaf Evergreen
Green
Gray/Silver
White
Brown/Copper
Simple
Other/more complex
Linear
Entire
3-6 inches
Edible
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Ground Cover
Fern
Broadleaf Evergreen
Mounding
Creeping
Prostrate
Slow
Low
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Stem
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
Rock Garden
Winter Garden
Shade Garden
Fairy Garden
Border
Mass Planting
Accent
Small groups
Specimen
Drought
Deer
Rabbits
Heavy Shade
Container
Patio
Walkways
Small Space
Slope/Bank
Rock Wall
Hanging Baskets
Pyrrosia lingua Image Gallery
Pyrrosia lingua Attributes
Pyrrosia lingua: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
Heavy shade, Deer
Pyrrosia lingua: Edibility
medicinal
Pyrrosia lingua: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Pyrrosia lingua: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Pyrrosia lingua: Climbing Method
Clinging
Scrambler
Tendrils
Twining
Pyrrosia lingua Fruit
Pyrrosia lingua: Fruit Description
No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
Pyrrosia lingua Flowers
Pyrrosia lingua: Flower Description
No flowers.
Pyrrosia lingua Leaves
Pyrrosia lingua: Leaf Description
Blade is leathery, lance shaped and tapers to a long pointed tip; lower blade is densely covered with persistent white to gray brown stellate hairs; stipe one fifth to one half the frond length.
Pyrrosia lingua: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Pyrrosia lingua: Leaf Color
Brown/Copper
Gray/Silver
Green
White
Pyrrosia lingua: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Pyrrosia lingua: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Pyrrosia lingua: 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
Pyrrosia lingua: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Pyrrosia lingua: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Pyrrosia lingua: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Pyrrosia lingua: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Pyrrosia lingua: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Pyrrosia lingua Whole Plant Traits
Pyrrosia lingua: 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
Pyrrosia lingua: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Pyrrosia lingua: 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
Pyrrosia lingua: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Pyrrosia lingua: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Pyrrosia lingua: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Pyrrosia lingua Cultural Conditions
Pyrrosia lingua: 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)
Pyrrosia lingua: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Pyrrosia lingua: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Pyrrosia lingua: 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
Pyrrosia lingua: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Pyrrosia lingua: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Pyrrosia lingua: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Pyrrosia lingua Stem
Pyrrosia lingua: Stem Color
Green
Pyrrosia lingua: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Pyrrosia lingua: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Pyrrosia lingua Landscape
Pyrrosia lingua: 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
Pyrrosia lingua: 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
Pyrrosia lingua: 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
Pyrrosia lingua: 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
