Species Swamp Moonwort
red sporangia with lime foliage and stems

Swamp Moonwort

Botrychium tenebrosum

Swamp Moonwort (Botrychium tenebrosum) is an easily overlooked fern-like plant found in wooded wetlands. Its attractive, fine-textured fronds are delicate and fern-like but coarser with persistent, plate-like pinnae. Immediately recognizable by its crescent moon shape, Swamp Moonwort grows in wet meadows, shallow standing water, swamps, wet sloughs, and even ditches and roadside as long as it is not subjected to long-term drying. Its flowers are greener than its fronds and hang in clusters on the underside of the stem. It is a perennial herb with a slow growth rate and its maximum height rarely exceeds 18 inches.

Watering:

Minimal

Propagation:

Seed Propagation,Division,Offsets,Spore Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

Sun:

full sun,part shade,full shade

Growth Rate:

Low

Care Level:

Medium

watering

Swamp moonwort should be watered once a week during the spring, summer, and fall months. Water thoroughly with room temperature water until you see some water draining out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. During the winter months, water only when the soil feels dry. Do not let the soil get soggy as this may cause the plant to rot. Aim to keep the soil consistently moist, not wet.

sunlight

Swamp Moonwort (Botrychium tenebrosum) is a temperate, marsh-dwelling fern species that requires moist, nutrient rich soil and adequate sunlight to thrive. This species prefers partial to filtered shade and should not be exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time. In general, Swamp Moonwort should receive between 2-4 hours of direct sunlight each day with more filtered sunlight available for the rest of the day. If grown in an area where temperatures and sunlight levels are more intense, it may be beneficial to provide shade for the plant during peak periods.

pruning

Swamp Moonwort (Botrychium tenebrosum) should generally be pruned only when absolutely necessary. This plant does not respond well to pruning and thus should not be pruned more than necessary. If pruning is required, it should generally be done in late summer, after the fruiting period. Pruning should involve only the removal of dead or broken leaves or stems and should never involve more than 1-third of the plant’s total mass.