How to Care for a Staghorn Fern

The staghorn fern's foliage consists of several fronds which resemble stag antlers. In nature it grows on a tree, sending its roots into the bark. In your home, it must have care which simulates what it gets in the wild from trees. This makes it different from other houseplants, but not necessarily harder to grow than most houseplants if you know how to care for it. Read on to learn how to care for a staghorn fern.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Wrap the root ball in a mixture of sphagnum moss and coarse peat moss. Tie the wrapped roots to a slab of bark with string. This simulates the way staghorn ferns grow in nature.

2. Hang the root ball on a wall or from the ceiling. The staghorn fern requires bright, but filtered light, so if hung in front of a window which receives direct sunlight, place a transparent curtain over the window. Also, consider hanging the staghorn fern on a wall facing a south or east window. This gives the plant the light it needs, but is also a nice decorative touch because the plant's fronds will resemble antlers hanging on the wall.

3. Water the staghorn fern by dipping its bark and root ball in a bucket of water. Water only after the bark and root ball are completely dry or the fronds begin to droop. Let the root ball and bark soak up water for 15 minutes in the spring, summer and fall, but only for a few minutes in the winter.

4. Add additional bark as the roots fill up the initial bark. Attach new bark by carefully nailing or tying it to the old bark. If the two pieces of bark make contact, the roots grow into the new bark.

5. Give staghorn ferns warm temperatures of 65 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for the best results. Staghorn ferns do poorly in temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Take care of the fronds by misting them once a week with a fine mist of soft water. Misting the fronds washes away dirt and dust and keeps the humidity around the plant high. After misting, gently wipe off any excess water left on the leaves.

Tips & Warnings

• Staghorn ferns do not usually require fertilizer. The plant will get the nutrients it needs from the bark.
• Do not plant staghorn ferns in pots. It is best to care for the plant on pieces of bark, because their roots are well-adapted for growing in bark.
• Do not wipe the fronds off with a harsh materials such as a sponge. Fronds must be wiped off gently to avoid removing their fuzzy exterior.