Overview
Rabbit's foot fern combines finely divided green fronds with conspicuous furry rhizomes. This nonnative tropical fern brings delicate texture to protected Tampa patios.
Mature Size and Habit
Allow roughly 1.5–3 feet of height and spread in favorable conditions. Containers often keep it smaller. Creeping rhizomes travel across the surface and over pot rims.
Best Landscape Uses
Choose hanging baskets, shallow containers, or a sheltered shaded courtyard. A movable pot makes winter protection easier than planting in an exposed bed.
Sunlight
Provide bright indirect light or filtered shade. Protect the fronds from hot afternoon sun and reflected heat beside pavement.
Soil, Drainage, and Irrigation
Use an airy, organic mix with open drainage. Keep it moist, letting the top half-inch dry between waterings. Leave fuzzy rhizomes above the medium.
Best Planting Season for Tampa and Central Florida
Spring is a practical time to repot or install containers after cold fronts ease. Keep new plants shaded and monitor moisture during establishment.
Pruning and Maintenance
Remove dead fronds and divide crowded rhizomes in spring. Watch for mites, scale, and mealybugs. Avoid clipping healthy rhizomes simply because they extend beyond the pot.
Wildlife Value
It produces spores, not flowers or fruit. Do not select it for nectar or bird food. Pair containers with verified native wildlife plants nearby.
Cold and Heat Sensitivity
Humidity suits this fern, but cold does not. Keep it above 55°F when possible and bring containers indoors before winter cold or frost.
Safety, Roots, and Placement Warnings
It has no thorns or woody structural roots. Keep foliage out of mouths, secure hanging baskets, and leave room so fronds do not obstruct walkways.
Invasive Concerns
This fern originates outside Florida. Keep rhizomes and discarded divisions in managed cultivation rather than disposing of them in natural areas.
Helpful Resources
See NC State Extension for identification and watering, and RHS for size and container care.