Division guide
How to divide lemon button fern
How to divide lemon button fern
Lift the plant, wash enough soil off to see the rhizome clearly, then cut it into sections with a clean knife — each with roots below and a visible bud or shoot above. Discard any soft, hollow or woody old sections from the middle.
Aftercare
Pot each division into fresh compost at the same depth it was growing before, water it in well, and keep it somewhere bright but out of direct sun for two to three weeks while new roots take hold. Do not feed straight away — damaged roots take up fertiliser poorly and it can scorch them.
The mistake to avoid
Cutting sections with roots but no growing point. They will sit there and eventually rot — every piece of lemon button fern rhizome needs a bud to grow from.
More lemon button fern care
- Dividing lemon button fern — the species this cultivar belongs to
- Dividing lemon button fern — our other guide for the same plant
- Full lemon button fern care guide
- How to prune lemon button fern
- How to propagate lemon button fern
- Growing lemon button fern in a pot
- How to overwinter lemon button fern
- Best plant identifier apps — tested and ranked
Dividing lemon button fern — FAQ
Can you divide lemon button fern?
Lemon Button Fern spreads by rhizomes — horizontal underground stems that send up new shoots as they run. That makes it straightforward to divide: lift the plant and cut the rhizome into sections, making sure every piece carries both roots and at least one growing point. Dividing also rejuvenates it, because old central rhizome tends to lose vigour.
When should I divide lemon button fern?
Early spring as growth restarts is the safest window; after flowering also works for many plants.
How do you divide lemon button fern?
Lift the plant, wash enough soil off to see the rhizome clearly, then cut it into sections with a clean knife — each with roots below and a visible bud or shoot above. Discard any soft, hollow or woody old sections from the middle.
What do I do with lemon button fern after dividing it?
Pot each division into fresh compost at the same depth it was growing before, water it in well, and keep it somewhere bright but out of direct sun for two to three weeks while new roots take hold. Do not feed straight away — damaged roots take up fertiliser poorly and it can scorch them.