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Asplenium scolopendrium

Common name:	Hart's Tongue Fern	Family:	Polypodiaceae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	17, 200
Synonyms:	Scolopendrium vulgare (Sm.), Scolopendrium officinarum (Sw.), Phyllitis scolopendrium ((L.)Newman.)
Known Hazards:	Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[200]. Many ferns also contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase[172].
Range:	Central and southern Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa and eastwards to Japan.
Habitat:	Moist banks and walls[4], rocks in damp shady places in woodlands[7, 9, 31], often on lime-rich soils[187].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	A. scolopendrium var. scolopendrium[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Buttonhole [H], Geyikdili [E], God's Hair [H], Hart'S Tongue [E], Hart's Tongue [H], Hart's Tonguefern [P], Hart's-tongue Fern [B], Hind's Tongue [H], Horse Tongue [H], Lengua De Ciervo [E], Scolopendrium [E], Tongvaren [D],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	scolopendrium = centipede-like;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Polypodiales. Polypody family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Egypt; Eurasia; Greece; Japan(Ainu); Spain; Turkey

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen fern growing to 0.6m by 0.45m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year, and the seeds ripen from July to August. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soil. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, In Walls, In North Wall, In East Wall, In West Wall, Ground Cover.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Astringent; Cholagogue; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Expectorant; Vulnerary.

The fronds are astringent, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, vulnerary[4, 7, 9, 165]. Externally it is used as an ointment in the treatment of piles, burns and scalds[4]. An infusion is taken internally for the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, gravelly deposits of the bladder and for removing obstructions of the liver and spleen[4]. The fronds are harvested during the summer and can be dried for later use[7].

Other Uses

Cosmetic; Ground cover.

A good ground cover plant for shady positions[28, 200], so long as it is planted no more than 30cm apart each way[208]. Plants form a slowly spreading clump[208].
A decoction of the fronds is used cosmetically as a hair wash to counteract greasy skin and also as a face pack for delicate skin[7].

Cultivation details

Easily grown in a shady position in a soil that is rich in leaf-mould[187]. Prefers a light sandy soil[1]. Succeeds on chalk[28]. Plants can be grown on drystone walls[219]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a shady position with no more than 3 hours sunlight a day, greater exposure will cause yellowing and burning of the leaves[187]. One report says that it succeeds in dry shade[188]. Requires a pH of 6 or more in order to flourish.
Plants are hardy to about -30°c[187], they grow very well in SW. England[31].
A very adaptable plant[28]. There are many named forms, selected for their ornamental value[187, 200].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].

Propagation

Spores - best sown as soon as they are ripe on the surface of a humus-rich sterilized soil. Keep the compost moist, preferably by putting a plastic bag over the pot. The spores usually germinate in the spring[1]. Spring sown spores germinate in 1 - 3 months at 15°c[134]. Pot on small clumps of plantlets as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse. Keep the plants humid until they are well established. Once the plants are 15cm or more tall, plant them out into their permanent positions in the spring.
Division in spring.
Leaf bases - dig up the plant and wash off the soil until the old caudex covered with 'dead' leaf bases can be clearly seen. Strip off these bases individually by peeling them down the caudex. At the point of attachment they will be green. Young plants can be raised by planting these leaf bases, green tip up, in a pot of loam-based compost and enclosing the pot in a plastic bag. Within one month green swellings will appear around the original point of attachment to the caudex, each of these will develop quite quickly into a young fern. It takes 3 months in summer but longer in winter[200].

Cultivars

'': No entries have been made for this species as yet.

Suppliers

Plants For A Future is working with the following groups to try and make these plants easily available. Parts of the proceeds will be donated to so please mention us when ordering.

Wildwood Nurseries: Lower Manor Cottage
Thornbury
Holsworthy
Devon
EX22 7DD
Email: lorna@macace.co.uk
Phone 01409 261324 Fax 01409 261324
Distribution: UK
How to order: Direct from Wildwood by email/phone
Last Updated: March 03
Item: Phylitis scolopendrium (hart's tongue fern)

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Asplenium scolopendrium var. scolopendrium (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for Phyllitis scolopendrium (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

References for Scolopendrium vulgare (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[28] Knight. F. P. Plants for Shade. Royal Horticultural Society. 1980 ISBN 0-900629-78-9
A small but informative booklet listing plants that can be grown in shady positions with a few cultivation details.

[31] Brown. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.

[134] Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.

[165] Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
An excellent small herbal.

[172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.

[187] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[208] Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.

[219] Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

Readers Comments

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