Staghorn Fern (Platycerium bifurcatum) – Indoor Fern (2L Pot)

An indoor fern with forked, antler shaped fronds that grows on bark or in a basket rather than in an ordinary pot.

Platycerium bifurcatum is an epiphyte, growing on tree trunks and branches in the wild, and it reaches around 90cm by 80cm indoors in time. It carries two quite different kinds of frond. The flat, rounded shield fronds at the base are meant to turn brown and papery, and they must never be pulled off, because they are what holds the plant onto its support. The antler fronds are the ones that arch out, and they have a fine felted coating, so do not wipe or polish them.

Mount it on a board, hang it in a basket of bark and moss, or keep it in a free draining bark mix; ordinary compost will rot it. Water by soaking or plunging the root ball and letting it drain right through, rather than pouring water into a pot, and let it dry a little before the next soak. It likes bright indirect light and a warm, humid, draught free spot such as a bathroom. This is a tender indoor plant only. It will not take frost or temperatures below about 10C and must never be planted out in the garden.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Staghorn fern, also called elkhorn fern
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Up to 90cm by 80cm indoors
• Growth Habit: Epiphytic, with rounded shield fronds and forked arching fronds
• Perfect For: Mounted displays, hanging baskets, bathrooms and living rooms
• Foliage: Grey green, antler shaped and felted, evergreen
• Planting Position: Bright indirect light to medium light indoors
• Soil Type: Free draining bark based epiphytic mix, or mounted on bark
• Hardiness: Tender. Indoors only, and never below about 10C
• Maintenance: Water by soaking, feed monthly in spring and summer, and leave the brown shield fronds alone
• Type: Indoor fern