Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fern
Shrub
Origin
Australia
Eastern Africa, Madagascar
Types
Polystichum solitarium
-
Number of Varieties
11
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Dappled Shade
gardens, Screen Cottage and Informal Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm550.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Pink, Hot Pink, Magenta, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Saw-tooth like
Cordate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Shade, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
All year
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry Conditions, Light Frost, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, From Rhizomes, Spores
Semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
when new, water every week
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Shade, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions, Light Frost, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Drought
Flowers
-
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Formal Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Poultice, Sore throat, Tonsillitis
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Dried heads are used in floristry, Grown for shade
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Tropical, Water Gardens
Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
Polystichum munitum
DOMBEYA wallichii
Common Name
Swordfern, western swordfern
Pinkball, Pink ball tree, Tropical hydrangea
In Hindi
Swordfern
Pink Ball Tree
In German
Sword Fern
Pink Ball Tree
In French
Epée Fern
Pink Ball Tree
In Spanish
helecho espada
Pink Ball Tree
In Greek
ξίφος φτέρη
Pink Ball Tree
In Portuguese
espada Fern
Pink Ball Tree
In Polish
Miecz Fern
Dombeja Wallicha
In Latin
Fern gladio
Pink Ball Tree
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Pteridophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Filicopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Polypodiales
Malvales
Family
Dryopteridaceae
Sterculiaceae
Genus
Polystichum
Dombeya
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Dombeyoideae
Number of Species
2601
1
27800
👆🏻