Billardière's Spleenwort Plant Care
Grammitis billardierei Willd.
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Notogrammitis billardierei, also known as the common finger-fern, or common strap fern, is a small epiphytic or lithophytic fern with small, strap like fronds, found commonly in wet forest in South-Eastern Australia and New Zealand.
Every 3–5 days
Filtered light, indirect sunlight
60–75°F
60–80%
At a glance
How do you care for Billardière's Spleenwort?
Water Billardière's Spleenwort every 3–5 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it filtered light, indirect sunlight. It prefers temperatures of 60–75°F (16–24°C) and 60–80% humidity. Fertilize it every 6 months during the growing season.
What Is the Billardière's Spleenwort?
Billardière's Spleenwort (Grammitis billardierei) belongs to the Polypodiaceae family within the Grammitis genus.
Billardière's Spleenwort displays a low rosette, spreading growth habit, reaching up to 0.5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Billardière's Spleenwort produces non-flowering.
Leaf size: approximately 6 inches.
How Often Should You Water a Billardière's Spleenwort?
Grammitis billardierei requires watering every 3–5 days. Allow the top layer of soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot. Reduce watering frequency during winter when growth slows.
Watering Frequency
Every 3–5 days
Let soil partially dry between waterings
What Light Does the Billardière's Spleenwort Need?
Billardière's Spleenwort thrives in filtered light, indirect sunlight. Avoid placing Billardière's Spleenwort in direct, harsh sunlight for extended periods, as this can scorch the foliage.
Light Requirement
Filtered light, indirect sunlight
What Temperature and Humidity Does the Billardière's Spleenwort Prefer?
Grammitis billardierei grows best at temperatures of 60–75°F. Billardière's Spleenwort prefers humidity levels of 60–80%. A pebble tray or humidifier helps maintain adequate moisture around the plant.
Temperature
60–75°F
Humidity
60–80%
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Billardière's Spleenwort?
Loose, well-draining soil mix with high organic content. Good drainage is essential for Billardière's Spleenwort to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Often Should You Fertilize a Billardière's Spleenwort?
Feed Billardière's Spleenwort every 6 months during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced fertilizer diluted to the strength on the label.
Pause feeding in autumn and winter, when growth slows, and never fertilize dry soil — water first.
Fertilizing
Every 6 months
During the growing season
The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.
How Do You Repot a Billardière's Spleenwort?
Repot every 1-2 years in spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Billardière's Spleenwort?
Billardière's Spleenwort can be propagated through spores, division of rhizomes. Similar propagation techniques also apply to grammitis australis plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Billardière's Spleenwort Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Billardière's Spleenwort, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Billardière's Spleenwort?
Billardière's Spleenwort is susceptible to spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
What USDA Hardiness Zone Does the Billardière's Spleenwort Need?
Billardière's Spleenwort grows outdoors in USDA Zone 13a. It survives winters down to planting zone 13a. In cooler regions, grow Billardière's Spleenwort as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.
Hardiness Zone
Zone 13a
Keep exploring plants
Billardière's Spleenwort is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Grammitis genus — compare its care with other Grammitis species on PlantoScan.
Grammitis is part of the Polypodiaceae plant family — browse all Polypodiaceae genera and species.
Billardière's Spleenwort thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Grammitis Species
Other Grammitis species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Grammitis billardierei Willd., family Polypodiaceae (first published in Sp. Pl., ed. 4 , 5: 139 (1810)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Billardière's Spleenwort, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 13a, calculated from the plant's minimum temperature.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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