Hi all, Starting from the basics about fern, its habitat & requirements, we have so far seen some of the prerequisites of having fern either as house plant or Garden tree. One variety that is has got a typical and unique frond is ‘Staghorn fern ‘.The marvelous looking staghorn fern is an epiphyte or ‘air plant’. Though young Staghorn ferns are sold in pots, mature plants need to be mounted to a board or hung in a hanging basket Note here that an epiphyte is a plant growing on other plants. Epiphytes are also known as “air plants” as they are not anchored in the soil. They derive moisture and nutrients from air or from the rainwater that collect at the host plant. Stag horn ferns are native to Australian rainforests,
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Why is it called Staghorn ?
Stag horn fern comes under the genus ‘Platycerium’ of Polypod (Polypodiaceae) family .This has around 18 species of ferns. All of them are epiphytic in nature, as they climb over other parent plants and anchored to soil. Polypod family is native to Africa, Australia and Southeast Asia, The fronds of the stag horn fern bifurcate in the tip , resembling the antlers of a stag ( male deer) or moose . whose fronds supposedly resemble the forked antlers of male deer or elk. Hence they are also interchangeably called as Elk horn fern.
Stag horn Fern – Anatomy
You should note that the Staghorn fern’s anatomy is different compared to that of other ferns , let alone other house plants As already explained in previous posts, ferns are flowerless and seedless plants. They have been in place millions of years before the first dinosaur started roaming on this planet. Ferns reproduce through the spores stored under their fronds. These spores germinate into a gametophyte. The sperm and egg from these gametophytes fertilize to form a embryo. The embryo grows in to a saprophytic plant called fern.
Staghorn ferns have two types of fronds
- One type is that which resemble the horn of a stag ( male deer) or moose from which ‘Staghorn’ name is derived. The bifurcated leaves sprout from the center of the plant,
- Next type of frond is called the shield frond. Shield fronds resemble round, hard plate-like leaves. They sprout from the base of the plant. Shield fronds perform the dual function of
- Protecting the roots of the Staghorn fern plants
- Utilize the water and nutrients for the benefit of the fern plant..
- There is one more specialty of shield ferns. They are green in color initially when young and fresh and as days go by they turn brown in color and dry up. There is nothing to worry about this quite natural part in the life cycle of Staghorn. This should not be wrongly misconstrued as fern is dying. No not at all. . Do not ever remove such shield fronds even if they turn brown in color.
- The third and final part of the Staghorn fern is the root ball. Staghorn ferns are epiphytes and as a result their root systems are just enough to serve the purpose Roots just help the plant attach to its home. Since the roots are not so robust as compared to its fellow fern plants, very well developed drainage is a must for Staghorn fern failing which its roots are susceptible for Root Rot.
Staghorn Fern – Specifications
Common Name : Stag horn Fern, Elk Fern, Moose horn fern
Botanical Name : Platycerium Bifurcatum; Polypodiaceae family,
Plant Type : Epiphyte , Airplant ; Climber
Plant size : 2-3 feet tall . 2-3 feet wide
Sunlight Requirement : Bright indirect Sunlight only. No direct light
Flowering Pattern : Flowerless and seedless
Nativity : Rain forests of Australia , New Guinea & Indonesian island of Java.
Hardiness Zone : USDA – 8 or above
Are Staghorn fern hard to care for?
It’s definitely not tough to grow a stag horn fern. As long as they get optimum light and moderate moisture , they will flourish. If the above favorable conditions are satisfied, stag horn fern thrives both as indoor house plant as well as garden plant . Another important point is they need rich compost to grow and thrive
How much sun & shade does a Staghorn fern need?
Remember that in the wild conditions, stag horn fern grows in the cavities and crevices of large trees. This means they need lots of bright and at the same time filtered sun light. Artificially, this can be achieved by hanging the stag horn fern from the trunk of a large tree in your garden.
- Any exposure of the plant to direct sunlight will make it burn out in few hours. Never attempt that.
- The favorable condition can be created by placing the stag horn fern in the porch with very good ventilation that allow lot of filtered sunlight.
- That doesn’t mean shadow is favorable for stag horn. Any dark and completely shaded place will stunt the plant’s growth to a large extent .
- Too much of shadow will be a hunting ground for fungal infections and other diseases.
Most important ingredients of Staghorn fern
Water :
Staghorn fern requires two different modes of watering. They are Misting and soaking.
Misting :
- Apply fine mist/aerosol spray using a bottle designed for that purpose.
- Apply on the entire plant. Give focus to the underside of the fronds.
Soaking :
- Have a container with water. Then soak the Staghorn in that for around 10-15 mins.
- Place the plaque in a sink or bathtub tap, and allow ambient temperature water to soak the root. Use it till the root ball is saturated.
- Make the plant dry up before putting it in its place .
Staghorn Fern – Frequency of watering:
- Both under and over-watering make the Staghorn fern fail. Watering schedule also depends partly on the amount of light, humidity the fern receives in its habitat
- Water weekly once during hot summer season of the year and half of that frequency during cooler months ,
- Staghorn ferns use both their fronds as well as roots to absorb water. So misting greatly helps in the absorption of water .
- Better the humidity of the ambient, proportionately lesser is the water requirement
- In case of more light it implies more heat and water evaporation. Obviously in such cases, water requirement will be more and as a result watering frequency needs to be increased.
- Never allow your Staghorn fern to dry out, more so during summer months. Always check the base of the plant for dryness. Never forget to check the soil for top 2 inches. Keep in mind , if it is dry, then watering /misting schedule is overdue.
- In case of fronds turning brown at base, it’s a case of over watering.
- On the contrary, if the fronds turn brown at the tip, then it indicates under watering
Temperature
The most favorable temperature for the Staghorn fern to thrive and flourish is between 50 deg F and 100 deg F
Fertilizer
Use the water soluble, balance fertilizer at the ration 1:1:1. During fall and winter, reduce or if required, stop the fertilizing cycle.
Potting :
Following is the basic ingredient for a pot preparation towards fern care .
- Soil – 1 Part
- Fibrous peat – 1 part
- Pumice – 1 Part
- Pebble/Gravel – 1 Part
- Tree leaves , wooden chips – 1 part
Make the pot with loose medium.
- Indoor /House Ferns thrive well on humidified environment. the pot should be kept damp through a layer of clay of moistened marble stones /pebbles/gravels . At the same time take care that the roots do not get stagnated with water which is not good for them.
- Spring time is the ideal season for re-potting of ferns. During re-potting , cut off any damaged frond. Also this is the time for splitting and making more fern plants.
- Ensure that the roots and spread throughout the pot and well established. If not, only the top layer of compost is to be replenished.
What are the varieties of Stag horn Fern ?
There are totally 18 species in the Platycerium genus. In addition to the 18, there are many hybrids and varieties.
- Platycerium bifurcatum : This is the most popular Staghorn fern as house plant. Unlike its other counterparts, this particular fern is more adaptive to the change in environment as it can withstand a temperature as low as 30 deg. F
- Platycerium superbum : This type is quite popular with fern collectors because of its striking appearance. This requires high humidity and at the same time it’s very sensitive in the sense that even a slight excess watering will damage the plant.
- Platycerium veitchii : This is silver colored and is native of Australian semi desert regions. Can withstand freezing temperature too.
- Platycerium hillii : Its native to Australia and Papua New Guinea . Its most sought after Staghorn fern by beginners because of the minimum maintenance it warrants
- Platycerium angolense : This variety thrives well in warm spots and cant tolerate a temperature below 60 deg.F. This fern requires high frequency of watering and high humidity and has been rated as one of the most difficult fern to grow
- Plateceryium grande : It is also known by the name ‘Moosehorn’ fern. They are more tolerant to drought and hence care to be taken in watering as it is susceptible for root rot
The above post has tried to cover the various salient features of Staghorn fern. Feel free to post your views and comments for betterment Your queries are most welcome .. Cheers !