Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'
The 'lacy' Java fern. Tropica's selectively bred cultivar with intricately split, crown-like leaf tips that look like miniature antlers. Same bombproof care as standard Java fern with dramatically more visual character.
Java Fern 'Windelov' (Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov') is a rhizome / epiphyte aquatic plant for the midground to background of a planted tank. It reaches 15–25 cm under good conditions and grows at a slow rate. Light: low to medium. CO₂: none to optional. Target 20–28 °C, pH 5.5–7.5, and 2–15 dGH. Substrate: Attach to wood or stone, never bury rhizome. Propagate via daughter plantlets on leaf tips, rhizome division.
Care at a glance
The 'lacy' Java fern. Tropica's selectively bred cultivar with intricately split, crown-like leaf tips that look like miniature antlers. Same bombproof care as standard Java fern with dramatically more visual character.
By Mike ElmiraUpdated 2 min read
Part of our complete guide to the planted aquarium.
Hero photo by Buce Plant · © Buce Plant — editorial use · Wikipedia
The parameters that decide whether java fern 'windelov' fits in your tank.
Polypodiaceae
Rhizome / Epiphyte
Midground to Background
Attach to wood or stone, never bury rhizome
Daughter plantlets on leaf tips, rhizome division
Cultivar of Java fern, wild kin in Southeast Asian streams
Selectively bred cultivar (originated in Denmark)
Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.
Hard-won lessons from the tank.
The visual upgrade from standard Java fern with identical care. Attach to a single piece of hardscape with cotton thread (the rhizome roots lock on within 6 weeks; thread rots away). The lacy leaf tips form a crown-like silhouette that catches light beautifully against dark substrate. Pair with Anubias on the same wood for a 'jungle on driftwood' effect.
What can go wrong and how to spot it.
Failure modes, in order of how dramatic the fix is.
Yellow new growth: iron. Black spots that spread: 'Java fern melt' from ammonia spike or insufficient flow. Black bumps under leaves are reproductive structures, NOT disease.
Same as standard Java fern — slow leaves accumulate spot algae and BBA. Less of an issue with Windelov's intricate leaf shape because flow reaches more surface.
The practical routine, read top to bottom.
Modest water-column dosing. Iron deficiency causes yellow new leaves. Root tabs ignored since rhizome floats above substrate. Liquid carbon (Excel) tolerated and accelerates growth.
Cut damaged leaves at the base. Snap off daughter plantlets when they have 3–4 small leaves plus visible roots; attach to fresh hardscape.
Where it comes from, how it behaves, and the variants you'll see at retail.
Where it lived before it came home.
Selectively bred cultivar from Tropica (Denmark) in the late 1980s. The base species (M. pteropus) is from Southeast Asian streams; Windelov is purely a captive selection.
Grows easily emersed in humid conditions. Many wholesale Windelov originates from emersed nurseries in Denmark.
Doesn't flower. Propagates via daughter plantlets formed on the mature leaf tips.
The named cultivars and the lookalikes worth flagging.
'Windelov' (lacy split tips), 'Trident' (three-pronged forked leaves), 'Narrow Leaf' (thinner straight leaves), 'Philippine' (broader leaves). Windelov is the most ornamental and most common premium cultivar.
Trident often confused with Windelov — Trident has long forked tips; Windelov has lacy crown-like fan tips. 'Mini Java Fern' is yet another distinct cultivar.
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
CO₂ requirement: none to optional. Light requirement: low to medium. Under low-tech conditions the plant grows at a slow rate.
Java Fern 'Windelov' (Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov') needs low to medium light. Run a photoperiod of 6–8 hours; longer photoperiods invite algae unless CO₂ and dosing are dialled in.
Position: midground to background. Substrate: Attach to wood or stone, never bury rhizome It typically reaches 15–25 cm.
Propagation method: Daughter plantlets on leaf tips, rhizome division. Java Fern 'Windelov' is a rhizome / epiphyte plant.
Target 20–28 °C, pH 5.5–7.5, and 2–15 dGH. Flow tolerance: low to high.
Difficulty: 1/5. Almost unkillable, a solid first-tank choice.
A planted tank is a system. Pair this plant with one entry from each other pillar to plan the whole scape.
