Species library › Nephrolepis › Nephrolepis biserrata
Ferns Little published: much of this is inferred from related species

Nephrolepis biserrata

Giant sword fern

The largest of the sword ferns. Its papery, brownish-green fronds are usually 0.7–2 m long, and exceptional ones have been recorded at up to 8 m. It is pantropical, growing in wet lowland forests, swamp margins, stream banks and disturbed ground. In the nursery trade it is sold as the 'Macho' fern, and it is a vigorous, forgiving plant for warm, humid conditions.

Nephrolepis biserrata
Photo: Daderot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
At home, aim for
Day Warm-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry
Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
No rest periodGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Wikipedia describes it as terrestrial. It grows in wet tropical lowlands in forest gaps and edges, swamp margins, stream banks and secondary growth, and sometimes perches on trunks or rocks. It tolerates quite bright light where the soil stays moist.

100 records carry elevations from -77 to 2,276 m, median 218 m. It is mainly a lowland plant. The negative value is a data error, and the highest records may be cultivated plants or misidentified.

Tropical AmericasTropical AfricaMadagascar and Indian Ocean islandsTropical AsiaPacific IslandsNorthern Australia

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its Public domain licence, unmodified.