Tropica don't add to their 1-2-Grow range very often, which is exactly why today's delivery caught our attention. Two new tissue culture Java Ferns have just arrived — Microsorum pteropus ‘Windeløv’ and Microsorum pteropus ‘Narrow’ — and both are well worth getting excited about.
Java Fern is one of the most recommended plants in the hobby for good reason: it's tough, versatile, needs no CO2, and looks great attached to wood or rock. What's changed is that these two beloved varieties are now available in sterile tissue culture form for the first time.
🦐 Shrimp keeper? This matters.
Potted Java Ferns are grown in greenhouses where pesticides are routinely used. For shrimp, even trace residue can be lethal. These 1-2-Grow cups are grown in sterile laboratory conditions — guaranteed free from pesticides, snails, and algae. Safe straight from the cup.
Microsorum pteropus ‘Windeløv’
Windeløv is arguably the most distinctive Java Fern in existence. Every leaf ends in a cluster of fine, forked, lace-like tips — giving the plant a remarkably delicate, textural appearance that standard Java Fern simply can't match. It was developed in Denmark and named after Tropica’s founder, Holger Windeløv.
Growing to 15–20cm, it suits midground placement on driftwood or rock. Herbivore-resistant and CO2-free, it’s as low-maintenance as they come.
Best for: Statement midground pieces, branching wood, tanks where you want visual complexity without high maintenance.
Shop Windeløv 1-2-Grow — £7.99 →
Microsorum pteropus ‘Narrow’
Where Windeløv is ornate, ‘Narrow’ is clean and contemporary. Its leaves are significantly slimmer than standard Java Fern and grow at a more upright angle, giving a refined silhouette that works particularly well in minimalist scapes and smaller tanks.
Leaves reach 10–20cm, with the rhizome extending 10–15cm or more. Like Windeløv, it attaches readily to wood or stone and needs no CO2.
Best for: Nano tanks, minimalist scapes, anywhere you want a fern that doesn’t visually dominate the space.
Shop Narrow 1-2-Grow — £7.99 →
Quick comparison
| Windeløv | Narrow | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf style | Forked, lacy tips | Slim, upright |
| Size | 15–20cm | 10–20cm |
| Best tank size | Medium–large | Nano–large |
| CO2 needed | No | No |
| Shrimp safe | ✅ Yes (TC) | ✅ Yes (TC) |
| Best for | Visual texture, statement pieces | Minimalist scapes, smaller tanks |
How to plant them
Both cups contain multiple small plantlets grown in sterile agar gel. Rinse the gel off thoroughly under lukewarm tap water, divide the plantlets, and attach to your chosen driftwood or rock with cotton thread or superglue gel. Do not bury the rhizome — this causes rot. Expect new growth within a few weeks.
Ready to add them to your tank?
|
Microsorum ‘Windeløv’ 1-2-Grow Forked, lacy tips — a classic, now in TC Shop Now — £7.99 |
Microsorum ‘Narrow’ 1-2-Grow Clean, elegant — perfect for smaller tanks Shop Now — £7.99 |
