Quick facts
- Tropical ferns grow best indoors in medium light such as in an east-facing window or a few feet from a west or south-facing window.
- Use room temperature or lukewarm water when watering.
- Ferns need high humidity.
- Fertilize only when the plants are actively putting on new growth, or if the foliage appears a paler green than normal.
- Keep fern leaves clean.
There are many tropical ferns that you can grow in your home. Each one adds a beautiful display of foliage to your houseplant collection. With proper care, a fern is an easy-to-grow houseplant.
Easy-to-grow favorites
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- An old-fashioned fern (Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis') with long, arching fronds.
- A dozen or more named "sports" or mutations of the original Boston fern have all but taken its place by now.
- Many boast foliage that is more ruffly or finely divided than the original.
- Dallas ferns have a compact shape. They can survive at lower light levels than Boston ferns and most of their descendants.
- The Rabbit's foot fern (Davallia fejeensis), sometimes called Squirrel's foot fern, is known for its tan "furry" rhizomes that grow down over the pot like little legs.
- Short, lacy green fronds sprout from these rhizomes, creating wonderful contrasts in color and texture.
- Suspend this fern in a hanging apparatus.
- The Mother fern (Asplenium bulbiferum) is named for the little plantlets that form on its large, feathery fronds.
- To propagate Mother ferns, pluck off the little "babies," plant them in moist, peaty potting soil, then enclose the container in a plastic bag.
- Keep them in bright, indirect light until they root. Direct sunlight will overheat them while they are still bagged.
- It might be difficult to find a holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum), but it is well worth the effort.
- Unlike more delicate-appearing ferns, the stiff fronds on this plant are rather coarse and leathery.
- The fronds have an attractive, glossy green surface.
- Unlike most indoor ferns, this plant does best with lower temperatures and dry soil between watering.
- Asparagus ferns such as the Sprenger fern (sometimes sold in spring as "sprengeri"), Myers fern, and Plumosa fern are not really ferns at all.
- Named for their fern-like, feathery foliage, they are close relatives of the asparagus we eat.
- Grow them in full sunlight.
- Commonly kept outdoors in summer, they often suffer from poor winter light, elongating and dropping many of their tiny leaf-like structures.
- Two to avoid unless you are looking for a real challenge:
- Maidenhair fern (Adiantum species)
- Staghorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum)
- Each has specialized growing requirements, including high humidity levels more typical of greenhouses.
Growing ferns
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- Most ferns thrive in filtered light or shady sites outdoors, but the tropical ferns we use as houseplants grow poorly in low-light locations.
- Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum), heart-leaf philodendron (Philodendron scandens oxycardium), snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), and Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum) are much better candidates for locations near north windows or other poorly lit places in your home.
- Tropical ferns grow best indoors in medium light such as what you would find in an east-facing window or a few feet from a west or south-facing window.
- During our short days from November through February, place ferns directly in a west or south window.
- As the days lengthen and the sunlight becomes more intense, burning the delicate foliage is possible.
- Make sure the light in those windows is filtered by large trees nearby, or by sheer shades or curtains inside.
- New ferns come with care tags suggesting they need to be kept evenly moist.
- That means you should never allow the soil to get very dry.
- It does not mean the soil should always stay wet.
- Water ferns thoroughly whenever you water.
- Do not just dribble a little water on top of the soil from time to time.
- Use room temperature or lukewarm water. Cold water can damage tropical roots.
- If at all possible, avoid using softened water. Its repeated use will result in an accumulation of salts in the soil, which eventually injures the plant's roots.
- Water until excess moisture begins to drip through the container's drain holes.
- Remove excess water in the tray or saucer after a few minutes.
- Wait to water again until the soil surface begins to feel dry to the touch.
- It is a mistake to water before that. Soggy soil encourages root rots.
- Pot ferns in highly organic soil that is porous, yet moisture-retentive.
- When it is time to transplant them into larger containers, choose potting soil that contains a large percentage of peat moss.
- Place ferns far enough from walls and other plants for good air circulation.
- Ferns look particularly handsome displayed on pedestals or in wicker ferneries.
- They are also commonly grown in hanging baskets. Be careful not to display them too close to the ceiling.
- The higher they are, the hotter and drier the air, especially during the summer season.
- This may cause the tips of your fern's fronds to turn brown and die.
- Ferns are known for their high humidity needs.
- Some people still mist their ferns to increase humidity, but it is not very effective.
- Misting also increases the likelihood of foliar leaf spot diseases.
- It is better to rely on room humidifiers.
- It is difficult to improve humidity significantly indoors.
- Concentrate on proper watering to reduce moisture stress.
- Ferns have modest fertilizer needs.
- They can be damaged more easily than most houseplants if you over-fertilize.
- Over-fertilizing will result in browning and drying that begins at the tips, then works its way back into the rest of the fronds.
- Leaves pale and lose their vibrant green color without enough nutrients.
- Fish emulsion works well as a fertilizer.
- Other fertilizers for houseplants are fine if you mix them ½-strength and apply sparingly.
- Fertilize only when the plants are actively putting on new growth, or if the foliage appears a paler green than normal.
- Keep fern foliage clean.
- Dusty leaves may provide a haven for mites or insects.
- The dust also filters sunlight so less reaches the foliage.
- Wash ferns with a gentle spray of lukewarm water from the sink.
- You can also swish them upside-down in a sink or laundry tub of lukewarm water to which you have added a few drops of mild dishwashing liquid.
Reviewed in 2018