Angiopteris Evecta, commonly called King Fern, Giant Fern, or Mule's Foot Fern, is native across most of Southeast Asia and Oceania, first described in 1786 and moved to its current genus in 1794. It's the type species of an ancient fern lineage tracing back roughly 300 million years, and is believed to produce the longest fronds of any fern on Earth — arching, glossy, bipinnate fronds reaching up to 9 meters (30 feet) long, rising from a massive, trunk-like rhizome that can grow a meter across.
Note: as a freshly imported bare-root plant, this specimen typically arrives with just a few leaves — the photo shows a more mature, fuller specimen for reference.
Care tip: Be patient after acquiring this fern — it's known to sit dormant for up to six months before beginning active growth. Bottom heat and a humidity tent can help it settle in during this slow start.
Give it dappled shade to partial light (direct sun scorches the fronds), rich, well-draining, organically dense soil, and consistent moisture without waterlogging. Despite its prehistoric scale, this is considered an easy fern once established — it doesn't demand the exacting humidity many other ferns need, and adapts well to container culture while young, though it will eventually want serious room to spread.
A genuine living fossil and one of the true giants of the fern world — its starchy rhizome has traditionally been processed as food and used to flavor rice and perfume coconut oil across parts of its native range, adding real cultural depth to its prehistoric scale.
| Difficulty | Easy to Intermediate (slow to start) |
| Light | Dappled shade to partial light; no direct sun |
| Humidity | Moderate to high; more tolerant of lower humidity than most ferns |
| Watering | Keep evenly moist; avoid waterlogging |
| Temperature | 65–85°F (18–29°C) |
| Soil | Rich, organically dense, well-draining soil |
| Fertilizer | Light, slow-release fertilizer a few times a year, away from the base |
| Origin | Southeast Asia and Oceania |
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