Japanese climbing fern
Lygodium japonicum
family
Schizaeaceae
origin
Native to southern and eastern China, Japan, Korea, the Indian sub-continent and south-eastern Asia
declaration
NIL
For information only
The Japanese climbing fern (Lygodium japonicum) is a vine-like perennial that climb over shrubs, trees or structures.
Impact
Impact
It is invasive in floodplain forests, swamps, marshes, river and stream banks. L. japonicum invasions can range from very sparse, with small numbers of individuals, to dense monocultures. The fronds trellis into trees, creating a novel strata of biomass between the ground and as much as 30 m into tree canopies. This creates changes in light levels and fuel levels. A major concern is the influence of this fuel structure on fire behaviour. When large vines or populations burn, fires can easily spread into canopy trees from the ground. Fires may also be able to penetrate into wetland areas that would otherwise be barriers
Location
Location
Characteristics
Characteristics
Similar Species
Similar Species
It is invasive in floodplain forests, swamps, marshes, river and stream banks. L. japonicum invasions can range from very sparse, with small numbers of individuals, to dense monocultures. The fronds trellis into trees, creating a novel strata of biomass between the ground and as much as 30 m into tree canopies. This creates changes in light levels and fuel levels. A major concern is the influence of this fuel structure on fire behaviour. When large vines or populations burn, fires can easily spread into canopy trees from the ground. Fires may also be able to penetrate into wetland areas that would otherwise be barriers
