Staghorn Ferns
Growing Staghorn Ferns Indoors
Staghorn ferns, or Platycerium, are quite different from your typical fern. As you can probably guess, this species of fern earned its name by its unique appearance. The fronds of the staghorn fern are shaped very similarly to the horns of a deer in that each frond can branch out in several directions. Staghorn ferns are native to areas with a tropical climate, such as South America, Asia, Africa, and parts of Australia, which makes them more difficult to grow in areas such as the United States and Europe.
But have no fear--you can still enjoy growing your very own staghorn fern! Growing ferns indoors is usually a much easier feat than growing them outdoors because, thanks to central heat and air, you have more control over the "climate" that your fern will be living in. We are going to guide you through the steps necessary to set up your fern initially as well as provide tips for maintaining your fern in the future.
First you will need to acquire a staghorn fern. If a friend has one, they may be willing to divide their plant so that you have a healthy propagation to start from. If you have to purchase one, check with your local garden center first. If they don't have any in stock, they may be willing to special-order it for you. You will also need a bit of sphagnum moss, some wire or string, and a wide piece of hardwood board or a thick (but short) tree branch. Why the wood/tree branch? In the wild, staghorn ferns grow attached to the trunks of trees. In order for you to get the best results from your fern, you're going to need to imitate this type of environment. Don't worry about it looking "tacky"--you can use your creativity to dress up the wood until the fern grows large enough that the wood is no longer seen.
The first step is to wrap the roots of your fern with the sphagnum moss. Next you will need to place the moss-encased roots against the wood and secure the plant there using a length of string or wire. This will encourage the fern to take root onto the wood as it normally would in its natural environment. Once the fern is securely attached, you can choose a nice spot to hang your fern. This is where things can get a little tricky...
Ferns do not naturally come into direct contact with sunlight, as they normally live near the ground or attached to trees in a forest-like atmosphere. As you can imagine, the treetops would provide a nice form of sunlight filtration for the ferns. You need to mimic this in your home--but how? If you hang your fern from the ceiling near a window, you can hang a gauzy or transparent curtain over the window, or choose an area of the house that receives lots of natural light from the sun, but not in a direct manner. Many people simply mount the wood to a south or east facing wall, as this area is likely to receive a decent amount of indirect sunlight.
Bear in mind that this fern will quickly begin to represent antlers on the wall, so you may want to start throwing around decorative ideas to help soften the appearance of your fern. It may also be helpful to know that you should be able to easily remove the wood from the wall for watering purposes. Speaking of watering, the best way to go about this is to simply dip the wood and roots of the fern into a bucket of water. Allow it to sit for about fifteen minutes, then remove it to a towel or even the bath tub so that it can dry enough to be re-mounted.
As far as future maintenance goes, make it a habit to mist the fern's leaves every week using a water bottle. You really only need to water your staghorn ferns whenever the root ball and the wood have become completely dry. You may also want to water it if the fronds begin to appear droopy or lackluster. As your fern grows, it may start to run out of wood. At this point, you can simply nail or tie another piece to the existing wood. The fern will eventually spread to this new piece of wood. It is also important to know that your fern will not do well if you let the temperature drop below 60 degrees.
Staghorn ferns are not necessarily the easiest fern to maintain, but they can certainly be a joy to watch as they grow. As long as you follow the directions above regarding the initial set up and sunlight and water requirements, you should find your fern flourishing under your care in no time!