Medium Staghorn Fern

Staghorn ferns are an impressive part of the epiphytic fern group, native primarily to Africa, Australia, and Southeast Asia. Their nickname comes from the large, antler-shaped fronds that shoot out from the center of the plant. Their leaves begin as a soft green and then become papery brown as they age. Spores develop on the undersides of the fronds — they look like brown fuzz. Removing the spores could hurt the plant, so just let those babies grow!

STAGHORN FERN CARE

LIGHT

Staghorn ferns do best in a brightly lit room, away from the windows. Rooms with Southern and Eastern exposures tend to be best, though North windows will do! Western light is fine, but only in short bursts — this kind of light tends to be hot and harsh.

WATER

Staghorns love a humid environment, so a bathroom with a bright window would be the best place for these plants. If you have no such bathroom, the watering process for the Staghorn is a mix of misting and soaking. Staghorn ferns should be watered when the upright plants look slightly wilted, and we recommend watering the plant’s potting material only, with a long narrow-tipped watering can. A slow trickle will allow everything to become fully saturated. You’ll want to avoid getting the fronds unnecessarily wet – that can cause mold. 

GROWTH HABITS

A mature Staghorn fern can be as big as 3 feet across. As the plant matures, they should be transplanted into a hanging pot. Sometimes, as a fun DIY project, indoor gardeners will mount their Staghorns on wooden boards or bark slabs to mimic the plant’s natural instinct of growing on trees.