Bolbitis heteroclita 'Difformis'

Mini Bolbitis, El Nino Fern, Asian Water Fern, Baby Leaf Fern

Moderate careSemi-aquaticNon-toxic5–15 cm

A miniature creeping fern with delicate, finely divided fronds that form a low-growing carpet. The 'Difformis' cultivar comes from the Philippine island of Negros and stays compact at just a few centimetres tall. It grows equally well submerged in aquaria or in high-humidity terrariums, attaching to rocks and wood via a creeping rhizome — a horizontal stem that anchors the plant as it spreads.

Build a terrarium with this plant
Mini Bolbitis image

Photo by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz·CC BY-SA 4.0

Care

Light

Shade tolerant(preferred)Indirect light

Humidity

Very high (80%+)(preferred)High (60–80%)

Temperature

10°C25°C40°C
18°C – 27°C

Soil

Sphagnum mix(preferred)Moisture retentivePeat moss

Moisture

Wet(preferred)Moist

Soil pH

6 – 7

Appearance

Growth habit

Creeping

Leaf shape

Compound

Leaf texture

FineFeathery

Distribution

Propagation

Collect mature spores from the underside of fertile fronds, sprinkle on sterile moist substrate, cover with plastic to hold in humidity, and place in indirect light. Germination takes several weeks to months.