Asplenium Hart's Tongue

Radiant, bright green fronds with a gorgeous gloss. They look amazing indoors, or outside on a patio. They make a handsome choice for a pot or hanging basket.

Each frond grows up to 20-60cm and they radiate from a central crown. The new leaves unfurl from the middle and are constantly renewing themselves. It holds the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit so you know it is reliable and tough.

Other names this beauty goes by includes Hart’s Tongue Fern, Burnt Weed, Horse Tongue, Buttonhole and Christ’s Hair. It is an unusual fern in that the fronds are not divided.

SIZE (HxW): 30-60cm x 30-60cm. They are slow growing but quite long lived as well as being easily contained.

I SEE THE LIGHT: Bright, indirect light is ideal. You should be able to read during the day in their position without having to turn on a light. They can grow in artificial light and will need eight to ten hours of this a day – good news for the office. In too much light the leaves to yellow or scorch.

I NEED A DRINK: Water fairly freely spring/summer and less in winter – every other week. The fronds will brown if they are lacking water. They appreciate some humidity – especially in homes with ducted heating/air conditioning. It isn’t as vital as for many houseplants, so you might get away without it. If you need to you can provide some humidity for your beloved plant, by placing them over a plate with rocks and water, this will naturally form humidity around the plant. Or if you want to get very fancy and grow a few of these tropical treats, purchasing a humidifier is a good investment – they are also good for you. Or you could grow it in a bathroom which gets a good dose of steam.

I WILL SURVIVE: Their ideal temperature range is 14-28C but are quite resilient and this species is more cold tolerant than most.

Use a diluted, liquid fertiliser in spring/summer. Repot only when they are overcrowded in their current pot.