Lygodium microphyllum: Small-leaved Climbing Fern

Lygodium microphyllum, the Small-leaved Climbing Fern (Old World Climbing Fern), is a unique, twining, vine-like fern native to Africa, Asia, and Australia. It has a slender, wiry, twining rachis (stem) that can climb 30+ feet into vegetation. The fronds are once-pinnate with small, lobed, pale green pinnae. It reproduces by wind-dispersed spores and can form dense mats, smothering native vegetation. It is a serious invasive weed in Florida and other warm regions.

Plant Profile

This fern grows in a wide range of moist to wet habitats, sun to shade. It is listed as a Federal Noxious Weed in the US and should not be planted. In its native range, it is a component of wetland ecosystems. If grown in controlled collections (botanical gardens), extreme containment is required. The twining habit is botanically fascinating but ecologically dangerous in warm climates.