"De-clumping" Java Fern

[beviking]

I was given a bag of j. fern and most of it is growing in little clumps(leaves all bunched together) while a couple have only a few leaves that are taller and not bunched. Is there a way to prune the smaller bunched style plants so they will eventually grow taller leaves spaced out a bit more? TIA

[djlen]

IME, you can do pretty much whatever you want in separating it or pruning it. I can take a leaf, stick it in the substrate and it will produce an new plant. Or leave a leaf floating and it will produce a new plant. Or break a rhizome in half and attach to wood and make a new plant. Or......well, you get the picture.
Len

[wetmanNY]

Sounds to me like you have two Microsorum ferns mixed together in the clumps: M. pteropus and the more useful IMHO M. blassi.

[beviking]

Thanks djlen for the USEFUL info. (He he, just kidding ya wetman.) I actually thought I had the two sp. together and I have used the clumps (IMO) in nice spots, but wanted some smaller less clumpy looking plants too! So far so good...