How to Grow and Care for Climbing ferns

Japanese climbing fern (Lygodium japonicum) is considered an invasive species in every area of the world to which it has been imported, because of its devastating ecological impact. For example, it smothers other plants by blocking the sun. It also exacerbates fire risk, because fire can easily travel up its vines and spread to other trees.

This fern produces a creeping stem from which the leaves that are very long grow, the longest exceeding 30 meters. The leaves have rachis, which are similar to the vine and can climb other vegetation. What appear to be individual leaves that sprout from the rachis are actually leaflets, which are smaller segments of the main leaf.

Bushman's mattress is often found in coastal regions and montane forests. This plant is commonly referred to as "Bushman's mattress" due to the twisting, creeping climbing fronds that end up in dense tangles which can be used as a makeshift bed. Nap-takers should be wary, however, as it's also a favoured home of the tree weta, an insect resembling a large cricket.

Maidenhair creeper is a tropical plant from southern Asia and northern Australia. Introduced populations of the plant can also be found in parts of Africa. This climbing fern can become a weed around rice fields and plantations of tea, rubber, or palm oil trees.

American climbing fern (Lygodium palmatum), also known as the Hartford fern, comes from eastern North America. It is hardier than most climbing ferns, especially in temperate regions. Nevertheless, american climbing fern has the distinction of being the first protected plant species in the United States. It received that status in 1869.