Diplazium esculentum spores grow into the vegetable fern a perennial fern native to the wet tropical biome of Tropical and Subtropical Asia east to the south-west Pacific. Described by Retzius and transferred to Diplazium by Swartz. Probably the most widely consumed fern in the world the young croziers (fiddleheads) and young fronds are widely eaten across South and South-East Asia: known as pak in the Philippines, pucuk paku or paku tanjung in Malaysia, pakis or sayur paku in Indonesia, phak koot in Thailand. Traditional medicinal uses documented for diabetes, asthma, diarrhoea, rheumatism, dysentery, headache, fever and other conditions across its range. Pharmacological research confirms antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-Alzheimer’s properties in leaf extracts. A large fern with bipinnate fronds to 1.5 m; ascending rhizome. Synonym: Athyrium esculentum. Note: this product offers spores, not seeds. Family Athyriaceae, Order Polypodiales.

Partial shade to full sun near water; moist to wet soils; warm wet tropical to subtropical conditions; suitable for pond and stream margins. Spore germination: sterile humid substrate, weeks to months.

• Vegetable fern; pak (Philippines), pucuk paku (Malaysia), pakis (Indonesia) most consumed fern worldwide
• Medicinal uses for diabetes, asthma, rheumatism; antioxidant, antimicrobial; anti-Alzheimer’s research
• Tropical & Subtropical Asia to SW. Pacific wet tropical biome; (Retz.) Swartz
• Spores (not seeds) sterile humid germination; Family Athyriaceae (Order Polypodiales)
• Partial shade; moist to wet soils; warm tropical; pond/stream margins; Family Athyriaceae

Diplazium esculentum is the vegetable fern possibly the most widely consumed fern on Earth, its young fronds a staple vegetable across South-East Asia from the Philippines to Thailand, documented with an extraordinary range of traditional medicinal applications and increasingly studied for its modern pharmacological potential.

IMPORTANT: Pictures show the adult plant, which is not for sale. The offer is only for seeds.