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Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott

Boston fern

Native records: 24 botanical areas

Arizona, Bahamas, Bermuda, 21 more areas

See all areas

Natural distribution

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NativeIntroducedUncertain

Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.

Last updated:

Distribution last verified:

See sources

Photograph of Nephrolepis exaltata

A widely cultivated fern in the polypody family, native to tropical and subtropical America. Known for its graceful, arching fronds and adaptability as a houseplant.

Description

Rhizomes short-creeping, stoloniferous, forming dense clumps. Fronds tufted, 50-150 cm long and 5-15 cm wide, sometimes reaching up to 2.5 m, once-pinnate with alternate pinnae. Grows as terrestrial or epiphytic perennial. Lacks tubers on rhizomes, distinguishing it from the related N. cordifolia.

Habitat

Native to humid tropical and subtropical forests of the Americas, occurring in forest understory, swamps, and riparian areas. Also grows as an epiphyte on tree trunks. Prefers shaded to partially shaded conditions with high humidity.

Distribution areas

  • Algeria

    • AlgeriaIntroduced

  • Anguilla

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Antigua and Barbuda

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Australia

    • QueenslandIntroduced
    • Western AustraliaIntroduced

  • Bahamas

    • BahamasNative

  • Bermuda

    • BermudaNative

  • Bolivia, Plurinational State of

    • BoliviaNative

  • Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Brazil

    • Brazil NorthNative
    • Brazil NortheastNative
    • Brazil SouthNative
    • Brazil SoutheastNative

  • Colombia

    • ColombiaNative

  • Costa Rica

    • Costa RicaNative

  • Cuba

    • CubaNative

  • Ecuador

    • EcuadorNative

  • French Polynesia

    • Tubuai Is.Introduced

  • Guadeloupe

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Honduras

    • HondurasNative

  • India

    • IndiaIntroduced

  • Jamaica

    • JamaicaNative

  • Kiribati

    • Line Is.Introduced

  • Mexico

    • Mexico GulfNative

  • Montserrat

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Morocco

    • MoroccoIntroduced

  • New Zealand

    • Kermadec Is.Introduced

  • Nicaragua

    • NicaraguaNative

  • Panama

    • PanamaNative

  • Portugal

    • AzoresIntroduced
    • PortugalIntroduced

  • Puerto Rico

    • Puerto RicoNative

  • Saint Barthélemy

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

    • St.HelenaIntroduced

  • Saint Kitts and Nevis

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Saint Martin (French part)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Sint Maarten (Dutch part)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Spain

    • Canary Is.Introduced
    • MoroccoIntroduced

  • Tanzania, United Republic of

    • TanzaniaIntroduced

  • Turks and Caicos Islands

    • Turks-Caicos Is.Native

  • United States Minor Outlying Islands

    • HawaiiNative
    • Line Is.Introduced

  • United States of America

    • ArizonaNative
    • ArkansasIntroduced
    • FloridaNative
    • HawaiiNative
    • LouisianaNative
    • TexasNative

  • Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Virgin Islands (British)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Virgin Islands (U.S.)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

Climate of the native range

The Köppen climate classes found in the areas this plant is recorded as native to. It does not mean an entire area has that climate.

  • Cfa Temperate, no dry season, hot summer
  • Aw Tropical, savannah
  • Af Tropical, rainforest
  • Am Tropical, monsoon
  • Cfb Temperate, no dry season, warm summer
  • BSk Arid, steppe, cold
  • BWh Arid, desert, hot
  • BSh Arid, steppe, hot
  • Cwa Temperate, dry winter, hot summer

The same climate occurs in 238 areas worldwide, 203 of which have no record of this plant. See them on the map

A matching climate does not mean the plant can grow there. Range limits are also set by things other than climate — dispersal history, soils, competition. Source: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0 (observed period 1991–2020).

Recorded medicinal uses

The cited source records medicinal use of this plant. It is not an assessment of efficacy or safety.

  • Nephrolepis exaltata is recorded as used medicinally.

    Source location: p.681, left column, line 37

    World Checklist of Useful Plant Species · Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) · CC BY 4.0 · source version: wcups-2020-62602715

    Open source

Other names

Boston fern、Sword fern、Wild Boston fern

Family
Polypodiaceae
Genus
Nephrolepis

Other species in Nephrolepis

Sources

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Anguilla · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Antigua and Barbuda · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Australia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bahamas · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Barthélemy · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bermuda · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bolivia, Plurinational State of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Brazil · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Colombia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Costa Rica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Cuba · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Algeria · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Ecuador · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Spain · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Guadeloupe · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Honduras · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    India · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Jamaica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Kiribati · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Kitts and Nevis · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Martin (French part) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Morocco · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Mexico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Montserrat · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Nicaragua · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    New Zealand · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Panama · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Puerto Rico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Portugal · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    French Polynesia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Sint Maarten (Dutch part) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Turks and Caicos Islands · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Tanzania, United Republic of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    United States Minor Outlying Islands · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    United States of America · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Virgin Islands (British) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Virgin Islands (U.S.) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

Image information