Staghorn fern
Also called Elkhorn fern, Common staghorn fern.
| Light | medium light |
|---|---|
| Water | Every 7 days in the growing season, every 14 in winter |
| Pets | Cats safe, dogs safe |
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, toxic and non-toxic plants list, staghorn fern entries.
The staghorn fern grows on tree trunks and rocks through south east Asia and eastern Australia, and it has two entirely different kinds of frond. The antler shaped ones everyone looks at do the photosynthesis and carry the spores. The flat round ones at the base are shield fronds, and they are supposed to turn brown and papery: they clasp the tree, catch falling leaves and rot them down into a private compost heap for the roots. People pull them off thinking the plant is dying, which is the single most common mistake made with it. Because it lives on bark rather than in soil, watering means soaking the whole mount and letting it drain, not pouring water at the top. It is on the ASPCA list as non-toxic, which is unusual for something this dramatic.
Ailments observed
| Brown crisp edges on the leaves | Dry air, or a mount that is being watered from the top rather than soaked. Soak the whole mount, and raise the humidity around the plant. |
|---|---|
| A blackened stem at soil level | Rot from a mount that never dries between soaks. Soak less often and let it drain properly. It should feel light before the next soak. |
| Brown tips on otherwise healthy leaves | Hard tap water or a long dry spell. Soak in rainwater where the water is hard. |
Questions from the margin
The flat brown disc at the base has died. Should I remove it?
No. That is the shield frond, and it is meant to go brown and papery. It holds the plant onto its tree and collects falling leaf litter to feed the roots underneath. Removing it does real harm.
Filed underPlants that will not poison the cat, Plants for a bathroom, Plants for humid air
Neighbouring entries
Boston fern
Nephrolepis exaltataBoston fern care that stops the fronds going crisp, with the humidity it needs, how often to water, and what to do with a plant that has gone brown in the middle.
Moth orchid
PhalaenopsisMoth orchid care that keeps it flowering, with how to water bark rather than soil, why the roots go silver, and what to do when the last flower drops.
Bird's nest fern
Asplenium nidusBird's nest fern care for a shaded bathroom, with how to water without rotting the crown and why the new fronds unfurl from the middle.