Carolina Mosquitofern, Carolina Mosquito Fern, Water Fern, Eastern Mosquito Fern, Fairy Moss, Fairy Floating Moss
Azolla caroliniana (Carolina Mosquito Fern) is a tiny floating fern forming a mat of prostrate and freely branched stems covered with bilobed scale-like leaves arranged in two rows. The upper leaf floats on the surface and the lower leaf is submerged. The pale green to blue-green foliage turns bright red in response to stress such as very bright light or very high or low temperatures. Small feather-like roots are produced along the lower surface of the stem and hang freely in the water. Native to North America, Carolina Mosquito Fern occurs naturally in ponds and lakes, in slow-moving streams, in canals, and in backwaters and sloughs. It grows extremely quickly under optimum conditions and can sometimes become a nuisance. It can form thick mats that completely cover the surface of the water, preventing mosquitoes from depositing their eggs. A unique trait of Carolina Mosquito Fern is its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form. This is done via a symbiosis with the cyanobacterium, Anabaena azollae. Nitrogen is one of the 3 vital macronutrients required for plant health, so this species can be used as a biofertilizer. Carolina Mosquito Fern is cultivated as an ornamental plant for use in water gardens, aquaria, and ponds.
Hardiness |
7 - 11 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 11 |
Plant Type | Aquatic Plants, Ferns |
Plant Family | Salviniaceae |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall |
Height | 1" - 2" (3cm - 5cm) |
Maintenance | High |
Water Needs | High |
Soil Drainage | Poorly Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Native Plants | United States, New Jersey, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Illinois, Kansas, Indiana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky, Texas, Oklahoma |
Tolerance | Wet Soil |
Garden Uses | Ponds And Streams, Water Gardens |
Hardiness |
7 - 11 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 11 |
Plant Type | Aquatic Plants, Ferns |
Plant Family | Salviniaceae |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall |
Height | 1" - 2" (3cm - 5cm) |
Maintenance | High |
Water Needs | High |
Soil Drainage | Poorly Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Native Plants | United States, New Jersey, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Illinois, Kansas, Indiana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky, Texas, Oklahoma |
Tolerance | Wet Soil |
Garden Uses | Ponds And Streams, Water Gardens |
How many Azolla caroliniana (Carolina Mosquito Fern) do I need for my garden?
Plant | Quantity | |
---|---|---|
Azolla caroliniana (Carolina Mosquito Fern) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
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