Angiopteris lygodiifolia ("Ryubintai")

Japanese name: リュウビンタイ
Scientific name: Angiopteris lygodiifolia

[Overview]
An evergreen fern growing in moist, deep forests, reaching about 3 m in height.
The rhizome is massive and erect; because many stipules remain after the leaves fall, it reaches 30 cm across, and the leaves grow in tufts.
The leaf stalk is thick, fleshy and green.
The leaves are bipinnately compound; the pinnae are 30–70 cm long and 10–20 cm wide, and there are 15–25 pairs of pinnules, 5–15 cm long and 1–2 cm wide, with shallowly serrate margins and false veins running down from the indentations of the margin toward the midrib to halfway to the margin.
The sori are borne about 1 mm from the vein ends.

[Uses]
The rhizome is used medicinally.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by scale cuttings and spores.
It prefers partial shade and soil that is well drained and retains water well.
It can also be grown in sphagnum moss alone.
Strong summer sun can cause leaf scorch.
For overwintering, keep it at 5°C or higher; place potted plants in a bright spot indoors in winter and avoid air from air conditioners.
Take care that it does not run short of water; from spring to autumn, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, and keep it on the dry side in winter.
It prefers an environment with high humidity in the air, so mist the leaves with a sprayer.
Fertilizer is not particularly necessary.
Pests and diseases include slugs, spider mites and scale insects.
Take care, as mold can appear if the soil becomes too wet.

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