Light
Medium indirect • approx. 5,000–10,000 lux
Dryopteridaceae
Polystichum luctuosum
- Curated selection:
Every plant is hand‑picked for health and visual appeal, so you receive a strong, well‑established plant.
- Representative photos:
Product images show a typical plant of this variety. Natural differences in leaf number, shape or variegation are normal, your plant will still match in type and quality.
- Size details:
Listed sizes refer to pot diameter (cm) and approximate overall height (cm) from the base of the pot to the tallest leaf or stem.
- “Get What You See” items:
If you are buying the exact plant shown in the photos, this is clearly stated in the size section.
- Individual photos:
One‑off photos are only provided when this is explicitly mentioned in the size section. - For special traits or small quirks, please check the full product description.
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Your new plant has just travelled a long way and needs a calm start in its new home. For step-by-step unboxing and first-week care, check our after-delivery care guide. For deeper tips on how your plant settles in over the next weeks, read our houseplant acclimatization guide.
- Care basics , Main hub with links to all houseplant care guides.
- After delivery & first week , Unpacking, first placement, and early recovery.
- Light, How much light houseplants really need indoors.
- Watering , When to water and how to avoid root rot.
- Substrates & roots, Potting mixes and drainage for strong root systems.
- Humidity, When humidity matters and what actually helps.
- Fertilizing, Simple feeding routine without burning roots.
- Problems & pests, Yellow leaves, brown tips, bugs, and fixes that work.
- Semi-hydro, How to run low-maintenance mineral substrates.
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Care at a glance
Polystichum luctuosum
Watering
Water when ~10–20% dry
Substrate
Moisture-retentive but aerated • Evenly moist • Organic-leaning • Fine-medium
Temperature
Ideal: 10–22 °C • Avoid below: 1 °C
Humidity
Normal 40–50 %
Growth habit
Upright clumping terrestrial fern.
Support
not needed
Growth speed
High
Max size indoors
Max. height: 60 cm • Max. spread: 60 cm
Toxicity & safety
Non-toxic
Origin & habitat
Native from Zimbabwe to southern Africa, western Indian Ocean, northern Pakistan to Japan and Vietnam
Outdoor growing
Outside from 10 °C · sheltered spot
How to read these values
These care values are quick reference points for indoor growing. Use them as a guide, then adjust for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.
For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.
- Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
- Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
- Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
- Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
- Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.
- Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
- Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
- Growth speed: expected pace under suitable indoor conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.
- Max size indoors: realistic long-term indoor size under good conditions.
- Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
- Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
- Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.
Polystichum luctuosum – Korean rock fern with glossy dark fronds
Polystichum luctuosum (Kunze) T.Moore, also known as the Korean rock fern or Tsushima holly fern, is a compact, tufted species prized for its glossy evergreen foliage. Native to forested slopes, rocky ground, and stream banks across China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand, it forms neat clumps of shuttlecock-like fronds that bring refined texture to shaded gardens or containers.
Key Features
- Foliage: Lance-shaped, finely divided, bipinnate fronds in deep glossy green with contrasting black veins.
- Growth habit: Clump-forming rosettes reaching around 35 cm tall and wide.
- Pinnae detail: 15 – 20 pairs of narrow- to oblong-ovate leaflets with subtly spiny margins.
- Year-round appeal: Evergreen to semi-evergreen, maintaining structure through much of the year.
- Awarded: RHS Award of Garden Merit (1997).
Natural Habitat
This fern thrives in shaded woodland settings and along stream margins, where moisture and dappled light create the perfect conditions. Its natural resilience makes it well adapted to a variety of shaded garden environments.
Growing and Care Guide
- Light: Prefers partial to full shade; avoid direct, hot sun.
- Soil: Moist, humus-rich, well-drained soils mimic its native forest floor conditions.
- Watering: Keep soil consistently moist, particularly in summer; do not allow to fully dry out.
- Hardiness: Cold-tolerant; semi-evergreen in colder climates, evergreen in milder areas.
- Maintenance: Remove old fronds in spring to encourage fresh growth.
Common Issues
- Frond browning: Often caused by drought or excessive sun exposure.
- Slow growth: Improve soil organic content and provide consistent moisture.
- Winter dieback: Semi-evergreen in colder areas; new growth will re-emerge in spring.
Etymology
The genus name Polystichum comes from the Greek polys (“many”) and stichos (“in a row”), referring to the rows of sori (spore cases) on the undersides of the fronds. The species epithet luctuosum means “mournful” in Latin, though its exact reference is uncertain.
Synonyms
Previously described as Aspidium tsus-simense and Polystichum tsus-simense, still occasionally seen under these names in horticulture.
Add Polystichum luctuosum to Your Collection
Compact, evergreen, and elegant, the Korean rock fern is perfect for shaded borders, woodland gardens, or containers. Order Polystichum luctuosum today and enjoy year-round foliage with award-winning reliability.
Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.
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Polystichum luctuosum
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