The fronds of Doodia kunthiana turn from red to green as they mature (Photograph of red frond courtesy of lethalselecta CC BY-NC 4.0; photograph of green frond courtesy of Kyhl Austin CC BY-NC 4.0.). D. kunthiana has numerous elliptical sori that are partially covered by clamshell-like indusia that open toward the pinna's midrib (Photograph courtesy of Hubert Szczygieł CC BY-NC 4.0; closeup photograph in header courtesy of Susan Fawcett CC BY-NC 4.0.). D. kunthiana has dark brown to black hair-like scales near the base of its frond stipes (Photograph courtesy of Carrie Tribble CC BY-NC 4.0.). The fronds of D. kunthiana get progressively larger as it ages. Compare here the frond size of this young plant (Photograph courtesy of Matthew Kahokuloa, Jr. CC BY-NC 4.0.) to those of the plants in the other photographs. A young cultivated D. kunthiana in the shade of a tree. 

Growth Requirements

General

    Doodia kunthiana may share two Hawaiian names, ʻōkupukupu and pāmoho, with Nephrolepis exaltata subsp. hawaiiensis, but the two species are quite different when it comes to their respective growth behavior and requirements. N. exaltata subsp. hawaiiensis is easy to grow and maintain in a landscape. It grows much faster and is typically taller than D. kunthiana, and can actually become aggressive in some situations, outcompeting nearby smaller native plants. N. exaltata subsp. hawaiiensis can also survive, even thrive, in much sunnier locations than D. kunthiana. With these differences in mind, I (Koebele) recommend keeping D. kunthiana as a container plant. If you do decide to plant it in the ground, be sure to maintain some space between it and your other native plants so it isn't overwhelmed by them.

    Doodia kunthiana does best in a constantly shaded site, and its fronds will burn if exposed daily to direct sunlight. Like most ferns, it is intolerant of drought, but seems to do best in soil or media that is surface dry to the touch but moist just below. The soil or media should also drain water quickly. I have only grown D. kunthiana in organic-dominant media and soil, so I'm unable to comment on how it would fair in other soil types.

    Doodia kunthiana grows slowly, putting out new fronds at a disturbingly casual pace. However, it does start developing sori when still quite small (i.e., less than a foot [30 cm] across). I never fertilized my in-the-ground D. kunthiana. When still in pots, I regularly apply a balanced controlled-release fertilizer every six months or so. (However, to be honest, while my in-pot D. kunthiana survived and grew, I cannot say the fertilizer improved their growth or was even necessary since I never grew them in pots without fertilization.) Avoid pruning your D. kunthiana (because of its slow growth), except to carefully remove old dead fronds with a hand-pruner.  

Pests and Diseases

    My Doodia kunthiana were most often attacked by root mealybugs; therefore, regularly inspect your ferns for these pests. Aphids and scale insects were also infrequently a problem. Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for ways to eliminate these pests.

Special Features and Information

General

    Blechnaceae contains more than 200 species within 7 to 9 genera. The family occurs nearly worldwide, but is most diverse in the tropical regions of the Southern Hemisphere. Nearly all the species in the family are terrestrial or grow on rocks [Britannica;Blechnaceae].

    Doodia is a small genus of about 12 species found in Sri Lanka, Malesia, Australia, New Zealand, and some islands in the Pacific. In Hawai‘i, there are two endemic species, D. kunthiana and D. lyonii [Palmer 2003].

Hawaiian Name

    Doodia kunthiana shares the Hawaiian name ʻōkupukupu with the endemic subspecies Nephrolepis exaltata subsp. hawaiiensis, and, possibly, with N. cordifolia (more commonly called kupukupu) [Valier 1995], both in the Nephrolepidaceae or Sword fern family. Pukui & Elbert [1986] state that ʻōkupukupu is a reduplication of ʻōkupu which means "to sprout," and refers to "any fern growing on a single stem."

    ʻŌkupukupu lauʻiʻi is a more specific name with lau meaning "leaf" and ʻiʻi meaning both "small" and "reddish-brown," likely referring to the small fronds and/or reddish new fronds of Doodia kunthiana.

    The name pāmoho is also shared with the endemic subspecies Nephrolepis exaltata subsp. hawaiiensis (in the Nephrolepidaceae or Sword fern family), and with Hymenasplenium unilaterale (in the Aspleniaceae or Spleenwort family) which is currently (2025) being disputed taxonomically (i.e., Hymenasplenium unilaterale versus H. excisum) [Flora of the Hawaiian Islands].

Etymology

    Doodia honors Samuel Doody (1656–1706), keeper of the Chelsea Physic Garden in London, and one of the first in England to collect and study ferns scientifically. The species name, kunthiana, honors Karl Kunth (1788–1850), a Professor of Botany at the University of Berlin [Palmer 2003].