Asplenium nidus 'Crispy Wave'

Origin and selection history of Asplenium nidus 'Crispy Wave'

'Crispy Wave' comes from a Japanese breeding line that began with an unusual mutation found by Haruo Sugimoto on Yaku Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, in 1961. The line was raised from spores and selected over several generations.

Yuki Sugimoto selected the plant now known as 'Crispy Wave' from that line in 2000 for its stiff curved fronds, yellow-green colour and dense form.

Everyday care for Asplenium nidus 'Crispy Wave'

• Light: Give 'Crispy Wave' bright indirect light to keep the rosette evenly coloured.
• Watering: Check just below the surface and water when that layer is only slightly moist. Soak the pot thoroughly and let it drain.
• Humidity: Moderate humidity suits it well.
• Centre: Water the mix around the outside of the rosette and let the tightly packed centre dry between waterings.
• Potting mix: Use a fern mix that holds some moisture and drains freely, with loam and coarse grit or perlite.
• Temperature: Ordinary room temperatures are suitable.
• Feeding: Feed at half strength about once a month while new fronds are growing.
• Cleaning: Support each firm frond while wiping dust gently from the folds with a damp cloth.
• Slower growth: When lower light slows new fronds, water less often and pause feeding until fresh fronds begin to appear again.
• Repotting: Repot when roots fill the pot or the mix starts to drain unevenly.
• Propagation: You can grow new plants from spores on mature fronds that have developed spore markings. Plants raised from these spores can keep the characteristic 'Crispy Wave' form.

When Asplenium nidus 'Crispy Wave' shows stress

• Brown ridges along the pleats: Repeated drying, dry air or fertiliser salts can brown the pleated ridges. Water more evenly, raise the humidity if needed and rinse the mix well with plain water.
• Weak or misshapen centre growth: Low light, uneven moisture or cool conditions can distort new centre growth. Give the fern bright filtered light, warm room conditions and consistent watering, then watch how the next frond develops.
• Fixed bumps or sticky residue: Check the folded fronds, central veins and centre for scale. Isolate the fern, remove any insects you can see and apply a treatment labelled for scale on ornamental ferns. Repeat as directed on the label.
• A dark soft centre: Moisture trapped in the tightly packed centre can lead to rot. Remove the soft tissue with a disinfected tool, cutting until firm healthy growth remains. Throw away the removed decay and disinfect the tool again. For later waterings, pour water into the mix around the outside of the rosette.
• Soft roots with a stale smell: Slow drainage and damp potting mix can lead to root decay and a stale smell. With disinfected scissors, trim decayed roots back to firm healthy tissue, discard the damaged material, clean the scissors again and repot in fresh airy mix.

If the next centre frond is still distorted, reach out for help with the remaining possibilities.

Asplenium nidus ‘Crispy Wave’ 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.

About the name Asplenium nidus and the history of ‘Crispy Wave’

Asplenium comes from the old Greek name asplenon, linked with splen, spleen. The Latin epithet nidus means nest and refers to the nest-like rosette formed by the fronds.

Yuki Sugimoto selected ‘Crispy Wave’ in 2000 during a breeding programme on Yaku Island, Japan. It arose among descendants of ‘Osaka’ and received United States plant patent PP20982 in 2010.

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

Carl Linnaeus first described Asplenium nidus in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 1079.