Lygodium japonicum
japanese climbing fern, climbing fern
Family
Lygodiaceae
Leaf Margin
serrate
Leaf Type
compound, pinnate
Growth Form
vine, fern
Flower Month
June - September
Height (meters)
3.0 - 6.0
Milky Sap
No
Armed/Unarmed
Unarmed
Origin
introduced
Lifespan
perennial
Growing Season
Warm season
Wetland Class
FAC
Wetland Coefficient of Conservatism
0
Prairie Coefficient of Conservatism
-2
Field Characters
An invasive vine-like climbing fern with pinnate leaves from thin hairy rhizomes.
Cultural Information
It has become common in disturbed areas throughout the state.
Natural History
Found in sandy, damp soils of forests, streams and rivers, and along roadside ditches throughout Louisiana and several counties in the southeast corner of Texas. A native of Asia and the Australian tropics, but escaped and well-established at several localities from Florida to North Carolina, west to Louisiana and Texas (Correll and Johnston 1979).
Habitat
Moist woods and edges of ditches, streams, rivers.