Vampire or Simply a Bird Nest.....

Realising that today is Friday the 13th (oooohhhhh...), no its not that I'm being supertitious but it does gives me an idea to post something about the mythical belief among the locals and elders in this region. Oh no, I'm not going to start writing on some ghost stories but on something more related to my 'green fingers'.


This graceful species of the common fern is often associated in the Malay folklore with the Langsuir or pontianak (directly translated as the female vampire..and by the way, why the local version of the vampire must always be a female?? Something to ponder!). Thus, locally it is commonly known as Pokok Langsuir or the nicer version, Pokok Semun.

Botanically, the fern is known as Asplenium Nidus or commonly known as Bird Nest's Fern or Crow's Nest Fern. The fern is a native of Tropical Asia, Northern Australia, India and Japan. It can grow in great variety as an epiphyte* on large trees especially in rainforests. Independently, it can also be found on the forest floors or on rocks with good available light.



The unique formation of nest shaped radiating fronds has nest-like 'hairs' in its crown (that's how the name Bird's Nest derived) and water clogging should be kept away from it to prevent rotting. The roots of the fern is small, dense & spongy to keep it constantly moist.

The Bird Nest's fern is one of the easiest fern to grow. Propagation is by division of the mother plant or by spores found on the underside, mid-rift of the matured fronds or by young babies easily found in between rocks, plants, etc.


If propagation is by using spores, firstly place a leaf with mature spores onto a piece of paper or in a paper bag. Within a day or two, the spores can be collected and placed onto a pot containing moist peat moss, sphagnum moss or any moist medium. Placed the pot in a shady location and mist daily to encourage germination.

To propagate a division or the baby of the fern, placed the plant onto a well-drained medium in a pot, basket or tub and placed them on shaded areas with filtered sunlight to produce nice, green lust fronds. The roots should always be kept moist but not wet.


*epiphyte - plant growing on another