Woodland Islandfern

Olfersia cervina

Native to:
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Central American Pacific Is., Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, United States, Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Is.

📍 View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Division:
Pteridophyta | - Ferns
Family:
Polypodiaceae
Genus:
Olfersia
Species:
Olfersia cervina
USDA Symbol:
OLCE

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
60 cm
Light Requirements:
Shade
Drought Tolerance:
Low

Garden & Ecology Notes

Deer Resistant:
Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers shaded, humid environments

Propagation & Germination

Notes:
Ferns reproduce via spores; requires moist, shaded conditions for spore germination and gametophyte development.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI