Odontosoria chinensis

Common Names

Chinese Creeping Fern, Lace Fern, Pala'a, Wu Jue

Summary

Perennial or lithophytic fern with a short creeping rhizome and densely scaly bases; fronds 25–50 cm long by 5–15 cm wide and quadripinnate, stipe 10–15 cm long yellow and hairy at the base; lamina 6–40 × 5–15 cm with primary to tertiary pinnae; ultimate pinnules oblong to narrowly obovate up to about 4 mm wide; sori 1.5–2 × 0.5 mm dark brown on apical margins near the lobes with indusia basally attached; spores about 50 × 35 μm; evergreen foliage with finely dissected leaves; typically terrestrial or lithophytic in wet tropical biomes, in semi‑evergreen and evergreen forests at 300–1700 m, along roadsides and forest margins, with broad Indo-Pacific distribution.

Cultivation favors semi‑shade to full shade with moist, fertile, well‑drained loamy soil; root zones should be kept moist and adequate watering provided; grows well in pots in shade and tolerates cool to warm conditions; reproduction by spores or division; ornamental value for foliage in parks and small gardens; leaves yield a brown dye in Hawaii and are used in hula garlands; rarely grown commercially.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

8-19.5 inches

Spread

3 feet

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained loamy to organic-rich soils on rocky substrates.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained, organic-rich soils (avoid waterlogging)

Bloom Color

Green

Bloom Time

Does not bloom

Foliage Color

Light green to olive-green

Fall Foliage Color

Green to Light Green

Growth Rate

Fast

Propagation Methods

Spores, Cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts none of bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, or birds