Asplenium 'Maori Princess' (Asplenium viviparum × oblongifolium): Hybrid Fern with Viviparous Fronds

Overview

'Maori Princess' is a striking hybrid fern (Asplenium viviparum × A. oblongifolium) selected in New Zealand. It combines the glossy, dark-green foliage of the shiny spleenwort (A. oblongifolium) with the viviparous habit of A. viviparum, producing plantlets on the frond surfaces—a fascinating feature for fern enthusiasts.

Botanical Description

Fronds are simply pinnate, 40–80 cm long, arching, with glossy, dark-green pinnae 5–10 cm long. The most distinctive feature is the production of bulbils (vegetative plantlets) on the upper surface of mature fronds, especially near the rachis. These drop off and root readily, giving rise to the name "hen-and-chickens fern" for its parent species.

Taxonomy

Family:	Aspleniaceae
Genus:	Asplenium (ass-PLEE-nee-um)
Species:	viviparum × oblongifolium
Cultivar:	'Maori Princess'

Growing Conditions

• Light: Bright shade to filtered light; avoid direct sun.
• Soil: Moist, well-drained, humus-rich; slightly acidic.
• Moisture: High humidity preferred; keep evenly moist.
• Hardiness: USDA zones 9–11; best as a houseplant or conservatory specimen in cooler zones.

Propagation

Exceptionally easy: simply detach plantlets from fronds and press onto moist potting mix. They root within weeks. Also propagated by division of the rhizome in spring.

Garden Uses

Superb as a container specimen on shaded patios, in ferneries, or as a houseplant in bright, humid rooms (bathrooms, kitchens). The glossy fronds and "babies" on the leaves make it a conversation piece. In frost-free climates, grows well in shaded rockeries and under trees.