Hen and chicken fern facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hen and chicken fern
Scientific classification
Genus:	Asplenium
Species:	bulbiferum

The hen and chicken fern (scientific name: Asplenium bulbiferum) is a special type of fern. It grows only in New Zealand. People also call it mother spleenwort. In the Māori language, it has names like pikopiko, mouku, or mauku. You can even eat its leafy parts, called fronds, like a vegetable!

This fern is common in most bush areas in New Zealand. It can grow well in many places, from shady spots to areas with some sunlight.

How Hen and Chicken Ferns Reproduce

The hen and chicken fern has a cool way of making new plants. It grows tiny little plantlets, called bulbils, right on top of its fronds (leaves).

When these small plantlets grow to about 5 cm (2 inches) long, they fall off the main fern. If they land on moist soil, they will grow their own roots. Soon, these little plantlets turn into brand new ferns! This is an easy way for the fern to spread. It's often simpler than growing new ferns from tiny spores. Some other ferns in the Southern Hemisphere also reproduce this way.

Ferns That Look Similar

The hen and chicken fern is sometimes confused with another fern called A. gracillimum. This fern grows in both New Zealand and Australia.

A. gracillimum is actually a natural mix of A. bulbiferum and another fern called A. hookerianum. Sometimes, A. gracillimum can even mix back with A. bulbiferum.

Here are some ways to tell them apart:

• A. bulbiferum is usually bigger.
• It often grows in wetter places.
• The parts of its leaves (called pinnules) are more often joined to the main stem of the leaf, instead of having their own tiny stalks.
• It grows bulbils (the little plantlets) more often and in larger numbers than A. gracillimum.

You might see plants sold in stores as A. bulbiferum. These are popular, even as indoor plants, because they can grow in low light. However, scientists have found that many of these plants are actually a mix of the New Zealand A. bulbiferum and an Australian fern called A. dimorphum.

These mixed ferns are much larger than typical A. bulbiferum. Their fronds that carry spores look different from the fronds that don't. While their spores don't grow, these mixed plants easily make new plants from their bulbils. These special mixed ferns should be called A. × lucrosum. It's important not to use them for planting in areas where only native New Zealand plants are wanted.

How Scientists Group This Fern

Scientists study how different plants are related. In 2020, they looked at all the ferns in the Asplenium group. They divided them into eleven main families. The hen and chicken fern belongs to a group called the "Neottopteris clade." Ferns in this group usually have leaves that feel a bit leathery. A. bulbiferum is closely related to A. cimmeriorum, A. hookerianum, and A. richardii.

See also

In Spanish: Asplenium bulbiferum para niños