Plant ID (Hawaii)

[enigma99]

These are planted in the Royal Hawaiian center area. Any idea what these are?

 

[John2468]

Microsorium scolopendria maybe?

[mnorell]

3 hours ago, John2468 said:

Microsorium scolopendria maybe?

Yes, that's what it is. In Hawai'i it is called Laua'e Fern. There are vanilla-fragrant and non-fragrant populations. The fragrance is not always there even in the fragrant populations, but occasionally you will walk past a bit planting like this and get a wonderful waft of vanilla. Really a wonderful fern. Unfortunately not hardy in coastal California, I tried to grow it in L.A. years ago multiple times...faded away each time in winter.

[Looking Glass]

4 hours ago, John2468 said:

Microsorium scolopendria maybe?

Sure does look like it.  A common ground cover option in these parts.  Never knew there was a fragrant option.  

[tropicbreeze]

Could also be the very similar looking Microsorum glossum.  Both were introduced to Hawaii and are now more common than the native Microsorum spectrum which has a different leaf.

M. grossum and  M. scolopendria have been getting shifted back and forth between the genus Phymatosorus and genus Microsorum.

[mnorell]

1 hour ago, tropicbreeze said:

Could also be the very similar looking Microsorum glossum.  Both were introduced to Hawaii and are now more common than the native Microsorum spectrum which has a different leaf.

M. grossum and  M. scolopendria have been getting shifted back and forth between the genus Phymatosorus and genus Microsorum.

I was totally unaware that there was this additional species in Hawai'i, also called Laua'e...Microsorum grossum...I wonder, is it possible that this explains the "fragrant" and "non-fragrant" versions of Laua'e? I always thought this was odd. I guess I need to go educate myself on these two near-twins. When I lived in Waikiki 35 years ago the stuff was everywhere...and I'm sure I knew this same planting at the Royal Hawaiian as I would walk through there every weekend on my way to the beach and remember it being all over in that area. I would always hope I'd get a waft of that wonderful scent...

And the one available in Florida is non-fragrant. I acquired it a few times when I lived there. I think it is a completely different species in the trade there, it seemed a little different from my memory of the plant in Hawai'i (and I had a pretty good memory of it...still do!)

[mnorell]

I just found this rundown in pdf format...very helpful.

And I have a feeling the unscented very similar-looking fern to Laua'e in Florida is likely Phlebodium aureum.

Here's a list from the article on what's present in Hawai'i. Apparently Microsorum scolopendria is a misnomer in relation to Hawai'i (it is a valid species but no present in Hawai'i)...All plants labeled as such are apparently M. grossum.

• pākahakaha, Lepisorus thunbergianus (Kaulf.) Ching; indig.; unscented, 6-35 cm
• pe‘ahi, Microsorum spectrum (Kaulf.) Copel.; endemic; scented, 10-50 cm long
• ‘ae, Polypodium pellucidum Kaulf.; endemic; lightly scented fronds to 55 cm long
• laua‘e haole, Phlebodium aureum (L.) J. Sm.; alien; unscented fronds 30-100 cm
• laua‘e, Microsorum grossum; reportedly alien; mildly scented fronds to 75 cm long

[enigma99]

Thanks for all the info. Sadly, as I suspected it's a no go in California. But it looks great as a ground cover

[Than]

On 3/11/2024 at 10:08 PM, enigma99 said:

Thanks for all the info. Sadly, as I suspected it's a no go in California. But it looks great as a ground cover

Just curious: what are the winter minima where you live and did you manage to grow any tropicals you thought wouldn't be possible? It seems like we live in very similar, mediterranean climates. My minima are a bit below 32, but with high humidity and frequent rains.

[Motlife]

There's a New Zealand native called kowaowao, Microsorum pustlatum, that looks very similar but I imagine would do well in Greece and California as long as you gave it a bit of water in summer. No clue if it's available outside nz though!