Asplenium antiquum

Range, habitat and cultivated forms of Asplenium antiquum

Asplenium antiquum is native to subtropical East Asia, including south-eastern China, Japan, Korea, the Nansei Islands and Taiwan. It grows in humid subtropical habitats, often on trees or sheltered rock surfaces.

Its compact rosette form also appears in cultivated ruffled and crested selections.

Healthy indoor growth for Asplenium antiquum

• Watering: Keep the potting mix evenly moist. As the top layer begins to dry, water the mix around the base of the fern and let the pot drain fully.
• Centre: Keep the centre of the fern clear and let it dry between waterings so new fronds can open freely.
• Light: Give it bright indirect light.
• Humidity: Moderate humidity suits it well. Extra humidity is useful when indoor heating starts to dry the frond edges.
• Potting mix: Use a peat-free houseplant mix with loam and coarse grit or perlite for drainage.
• Temperature: This fern does well in a warm room, with the tender centre kept away from cold draughts.
• Feeding: Give a half-strength liquid feed each month as fresh fronds open.
• Slower growth: In lower light, give the pot more time to dry and pause feeding. Resume once the centre starts producing fresh fronds again.
• Repotting: Repot once the roots have filled the pot or the old mix has broken down and starts draining slowly.
• Propagation: Sow spores in warm, humid conditions, or divide a plant once it has several separate growing points with their own roots.

When Asplenium antiquum is struggling

• Brown frond edges: Dry air, hard water, strong light or uneven watering can mark the edges. Water more evenly, raise the humidity if needed and use softer water if white mineral deposits are visible.
• Pale or washed-out fronds: Too little light can leave new fronds pale. Move the fern into brighter filtered light and keep the potting mix evenly moist while the next fronds develop.
• Fixed bumps or sticky residue: Scale insects may be present. Check along the central vein, around the centre and underneath the fronds, then isolate the fern and treat it with a product labelled for scale on ornamental ferns, repeating as directed on the label.
• Soft tissue in the centre: Water left around the centre for long periods can cause rot. Use a disinfected tool to remove the soft tissue until only firm healthy growth remains. Discard the removed material, disinfect the tool again and keep later waterings around the base of the fern.
• Dark soft roots: Poor drainage and persistently wet potting mix can cause root decay. With disinfected scissors, cut decayed roots back to firm healthy tissue, discard the damaged material, clean the scissors again and repot the fern in fresh airy mix at the same depth.

If the next frond develops the same problem, reach out for further guidance.

Asplenium antiquum is non-toxic to cats and dogs

• This plant is non-toxic to cats and dogs.
• Its effects on people are unclear, so keep it away from young children who may chew it.
• Eating a large amount can still cause an upset stomach. Seek medical or veterinary advice if symptoms continue.

How did Asplenium antiquum get its name?

Asplenium comes from the old Greek name asplenon, linked with splen, spleen. The Latin epithet antiquum means old or ancient.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Asplenium in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 1078.

Tomitarô Makino first described Asplenium antiquum in 1929 in Journal of Japanese Botany, volume 6, page 32.