We all know them, those common green ferns that are in nearly every garden, on every pavement and wherever you look – sword ferns.
They are not our friends because they spread extremely aggressively and are able to form dense strands that quickly displace our indigenous vegetation.
They really do need to be removed – the plant is remarkably long-lived, and these bushy shrubs survive for 500 years or more! Their roots grow into a dense fibrous mass that can extend down as deep as half a metre.
Listed as Category 1B in KZN by the South African National Biodiversity Institute, which means it may not be owned, grown, moved, sold, given as a gift or dumped into waterways.
Nephrolepis cordifolia (sword fern) invades swamp forests, coastal vegetation and forest margins. The plants spread by means of spores, but also by stolons (also known as runners, which are horizontal connections between parts of an organism) and tubers that eventually form large colonies.
The simplest, most budget-friendly herbicide is hot water. Pour boiling water over a plant’s root system and leaves to kill it within several days without leaving a poisonous residue in the soil.
Fortunately, there is an even more beautiful fern that can easily replace the ones you remove. The Leatherleaf Fern, with large deep green leaves, that needs a shady, moist position, also makes a great textural plant in the garden or as a house plant. Also known as Rumohra adiantiformis, it is an evergreen fern with a wide native range spanning from southern Africa to Australia, central South America and the Caribbean.
Don’t forget the annual four-day global urban bioblitz, the 2024 City Nature Challenge (April 26-29) is open to everyone. For those who want personal training, everyone is welcome to join Bendigo Conservation Group this Sunday, April 21 at Leka’s in Southport for a training session with Paddy Norman of WESSA, or contact your local conservancy for more info.
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