How do I care for my Staghorn fern?

Staghorn Fern aka Platycerium veitchii is our beautiful Luxury pet-friendly Indoor plant for October 2019. Here are some tips for how to best care for this wild and wonderful houseplant. 

***

Native habitat 
The staghorn ferns are native to the tropical and temperate regions of South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Guinea.

Light and position in the home 
Accustomed to filtered tropical sun your fern will prefer bright but indirect light. A south or east facing window is best. 

Flowers and foliage 
Your staghorn fern doesn't flower, it actually reproduces via spores that are found on the underside of one of the two types of leaves or fronds. Be aware that a hair like substance on the fronds is easily mistaken for dust and helps the plant to survive. Take care not to remove this substance.

Watering & Humidity 

The staghorn is able to absorb water through its leaves and roots and as a result it will benefit from high humidity. If leaves start to brown at the tip increase watering, if they brown at the base decrease.

Temperature
A temperature of between 16-24 celsius is ideal. Avoid any warm or cold drafts.

Did you know? 
Staghorn ferns are epiphytes. Their roots grow on other plants as opposed to the ground. They are not parasitic and do not harm the plants they live on. They take water and nutrients from the air around them via the specially adapted leaf fronds. This lifestyle enables them to receive more light than their ground-dwelling competitors and can grow to great sizes. 

***

If you like the look of our Staghorn Fern and want to get your hands on one of these intriguing and fascinating plants, you can get yours here.