Common Moonwort
Botrychium lunaria
- Native to:
- Afghanistan, Albania, Australia, Austria, Azores, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kirgizstan, Korea, Krym, Kuril Is., Labrador, Madeira, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Taiwan, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan
Abalg
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Pteridophyta | - Ferns
- Family:
- Ophioglossaceae
- Genus:
- Botrychium
- Species:
- Botrychium lunaria
- USDA Symbol:
- BOLU
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 25 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, well-drained, calcareous soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- often found in alpine and subalpine meadows
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Moonwort reproduces primarily via spores and mycorrhizal relationships; spore germination is extremely slow and requires specific fungal symbionts, making cultivation from spores nearly impossible.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.
Source: Claude AI