Plant Bio

This very special staghorn (Platycerium bifurcatum) is back where it belongs in the popularity stakes! Give this shade lover a spot out of the sun and spray regularly with water. The staghorn grows naturally in tropical rainforests all over the world, where it grows very large. But for us in our living room, it remains smaller, it can reach 80-100 cm across after several years. Staghorn ferns (Platycerium spp.) have an out-of-this-world appearance. The plants have two types of leaves, one of which resembles the horns of a large herbivore. The plants grow outdoors in warm season locations and indoors elsewhere. Mounted or in a basket is how to grow a staghorn fern because they are epiphytic, growing in trees generally. Staghorn fern care relies on careful light, temperature, and moisture monitoring.

Stag horns fern grows best in bright, indirect light. Strong summer sun will damage its fronds. Water thoroughly, allowing the medium to dry out between waterings. Water potted plants from below for 15 minutes. For mounted ferns, plunge the root portion into room-temperature water for 15 minutes, then air dry. It is better to err on the dry side- mature plants are more tolerant of drought than soggy medium, which can cause root rot. Stag Horns prefer moist air. Dry indoor air will cause brown tips. Mist the fronds regularly with room-temperature water to keep the humidity high. For soil, Sphagnum moss or medium specially made for epiphytes such as bromeliad or orchid mix, are preferred. Feed monthly in the summer with a balanced foliar fertilizer or add fertilizer to water and plunge the rootball portion into the water for several minutes.