Hemionitis atropurpurea
An epiphytic, rhizomatous fern in Pteridaceae native from eastern Canada to Guatemala and mainly occurring in temperate biomes, with waxy, thick, heart-shaped leaves that thrive in 60–80% humidity, indirect light, and warm temperatures (68–85°F), preferring well-draining, moisture-retentive soil and careful watering to avoid root rot, and listed as the accepted name by World Flora Online in December 2023 after numerous historical synonyms.
Common Names
Heartleaf Plant, Tongue Fern
Summary
Purple-stem cliffbrake is a rhizomatous geophyte in the Pteridaceae, native from eastern Canada to Guatemala in temperate biomes, and it grows vertically with new growth from the top.
Culture requires ample sunlight and well-draining soil rich in organic matter (coco coir with perlite or vermiculite); water should dry between waterings, for example about 0.5 cups every 9 days in a 5" pot with no direct sun, and fertilizer is minimal with annual soil replacement.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
6-8 inches
Spread
4-6 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 10a-11b
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally partial shade, tolerates partial sun.
Soil Type
Well-draining, fertile, moist, humus-rich soil.
Soil Drainage
Well-draining soil that is moist but not waterlogged, rich in organic matter (coco coir) with perlite or vermiculite to aid drainage.
Bloom Time
Doesn't bloom.
Foliage Color
Dark green
Fall Foliage Color
Dark green
Growth Rate
Medium to fast
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Spores, Division
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (L.) Christenh.
- Publication
- Global Fl. 04:10. 2018
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Polypodiophyta
- Class
- Polypodiopsida
- Subclass
- Polypodiidae
- Order
- Polypodiales
- Family
- Pteridaceae
- Subfamily
- Cheilanthoideae
- Genus
- Hemionitis
Synonyms
Pellaea spiculata Pteris spiculata Pteris atropurpurea Asplenium atropurpureum Allosorus atropurpureus Platyloma atropurpureum Notholaena atropurpurea Pellaea atropurpurea f. bifida Pellaea atropurpurea f. furcata Pteris gracilis var. nana Pellaea atropurpurea var. minima Pellaea atropurpurea var. mucronata Pellaea atropurpurea var. nana Pellaea atropurpurea var. punctata Pellaea atropurpurea var. venosa Cassebeera atropurpurea var. minima Pellaea atropurpurea var. cristata Pellaea atropurpurea var. latifolia Pellaea atropurpurea