About
Humata tyermanii 'Sekka' is a rhizomatous epiphytic or lithophytic fern reaching about 0.5 m, grown for its spreading rhizomes and arching fronds. It is a subtropical species native to northern Myanmar, southern China and Taiwan and is recognised by the Royal Horticultural Society with an Award of Garden Merit under its synonym. In cultivation it favours full sun and can be mounted or placed in a hanging basket so the rhizomes may trail. Flowering period (UK): June to August.
In the garden
Humata tyermanii 'Sekka' belongs to the family Davalliaceae and the genus Humata; the plant occurs naturally in northern Myanmar, southern China and Taiwan where it grows as an epiphyte or lithophyte. Plants reach roughly 0.5 m and are valued for the network of rhizomes that creep across bark or rock rather than for any upright trunk. For cultivation, give Humata tyermanii 'Sekka' a site with full sun as recorded in published sources; its epiphytic habit means it performs well mounted on a piece of wood, tucked into a crevice of a stone wall, or in a well-drained hanging basket that allows airflow around the rhizomes. Use a free-draining, bark-rich or gritty medium when potting so roots do not sit in water. No hardiness rating is provided here, so avoid exposing specimens to sustained freezing without protection. In a UK garden the plant suits sheltered, bright spots where its rhizomes can cascade — over a stump, along a wall pocket or from a high basket. The Royal Horticultural Society has awarded it an AGM under the synonym Humata tyermanii, which signals its merit in cultivation. Allow the trailing rhizomes room to overhang their mounting to display the cultivar's characteristic spread.