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Hare's Foot Fern

Davallia canariensis

Also called Deer Foot Fern, Hare Foot Fern

Hare's Foot Fern
Photo: Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0

Davallia canariensis is a spreading, deciduous fern from Macaronesia and the western Mediterranean, grown mainly as a houseplant in cooler climates. Its key needs are bright light, even moisture, and protection from cold.

Family
Davalliaceae (Davalli family)
Grows as
Fern
Light
Bright indirect
Water
Keep the soil evenly moist in the growing season and let the surface dry slightly between waterings.
Soil
Free-draining, humus-rich potting mix.
Temperature
15–24 °C; hardy only to about 5 °C, so protect below that
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Not toxic to cats or dogs (ASPCA).
Native range
Macaronesia, W. Medit.
Climate
subtropical

About

Davallia canariensis, the hare's-foot fern, is a species of fern in the family Davalliaceae. It is endemic to Macaronesia and the Iberian Peninsula. It grows well in a sunny atmosphere and amongst rocks.

Where it grows

Davallia canariensis is found on the western Mediterranean Basin, from Cape Verde, the Canary Islands and Madeira to Morocco and the western Iberian Peninsula (western Portugal and northwest and southwest Spain). It grows on tree trunks and branches, mossy siliceous rocks in cool and humid places with oceanic influences, from sea-level to 600 m (2,000 ft) in altitude. The Latin specific epithet canariensis means "from the Canary Islands".

Other Davallia plants

Davallia divaricata · Lacy Hare's Foot Fern · Squirrel’s Foot Fern · Davallia tyermanii · Ball Ferns

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Davallia canariensis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.

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