What Diseases Do Staghorn Ferns Get?

Staghorn ferns are Polypodiaceae plant family members of the genus Platycerium. There are currently eighteen species identified, as well as numerous variations and hybrids.

Staghorn ferns are tropical plants that are endemic to the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Australia, Madagascar, Africa, and America. They grow as epiphytes in their natural habitat.

Staghorn ferns are fairly pest-free. They are susceptible to a disease known as Rhizoctonia sp. if kept too damp. This fungus causes black patches on the basal fronds, which can quickly spread, penetrate the growth point, and destroy the plant.

If symptoms occur, restrict water and limit humidity to inhibit the progression of the disease. Fungicides are widely accessible and, when applied properly, are generally effective.

Do staghorn ferns grow new shield fronds?

Yes, they do.

The leaves, also known as fronds, are classified into two categories. The first are Fertile fronds or Foliar fronds, which are long-reaching and have stag antler-shaped ends.

Young plants do not have extremely obvious shapes, but as they mature, they can be quite rippling and split. They will survive for two or three years before being replaced by longer, larger fronds.

The second form of growth occurs towards the plant’s base and is known as Basal, Sterile, or Shield fronds. One is shown in the image below. Although it appears brown in the photo, it will be green initially and for up to a year.

Are staghorn ferns invasive?

1. bifurcatum is the most often cultivated species as an ornamental plant since it is the easiest to grow. It is native to the rainforests of Java, New Guinea, and southeastern Australia, and thrives in temperatures above 40°F all year.

As a result, it can only be planted in gardens with very mild climates (zones 9 and above), or as a house plant that may be taken outdoors during the summer. It has become a naturalized species in Florida and Hawaii, where it is regarded as an invasive species on the islands.

Can staghorn ferns grow in soil?

Staghorn ferns can be grown in containers, but should not be placed in mineral soil. Use a well-draining planting medium mostly composed of organic matter instead. A 50/50 mix of orchid bark and cactus potting mix is recommended.

Although there are other staghorn fern species, the one most commonly found in plant stores and garden centers is Platycerium bifurcatum. This species is native to Australia, New Guinea, and the Indonesian island of Java.

The staghorn fern develops in rainforests as an epiphyte, which means it clings to trees without being parasitic. It does not require soil surrounding its roots, which solely serve as anchors: water and nutrients are absorbed mostly through the fronds.

Can you have staghorn ferns inside the house?

Staghorn ferns are excellent houseplants since they do not require direct sunshine. They prefer a sunny room in your home as long as they are not in direct sunlight. When you cultivate these plants indoors, humidity will be a concern.

Our dwellings are quite dry. Mist your fern on a regular basis. Bathrooms are the finest room in your house for your staghorn fern because they are naturally damp. Avoid placing your fern near heating ducts, which will blow dry air on it. Fireplaces and wood stoves should also be avoided.

When cultivated indoors, staghorn ferns are typically mounted on boards and hung. A 12 × 12 board is a good size. Your fern will overrun the board eventually.

They don’t want to be disturbed, so instead of relocating your fern to a larger board, simply nail a larger board behind the smaller board, taking care not to damage any part of your fern. Use pressure-treated lumber, cedar, or teak since they are resistant to water damage.

Water your fern when the fronds begin to wilt, which is a sign that the moss is dry. Staghorn ferns can handle a little dryness. What they can’t stand is too much water, which will rot your plant.

What conditions do staghorn ferns like?

This plant is easy to care for if you give the correct circumstances, and it may be a gorgeous and interesting element in your house.

Light: From partial shade to intense indirect light

Watering: Water with caution in accordance with the growing medium and conditions.

Humidity: In its natural environment, the Staghorn Fern is surrounded by very humid air, with humidity levels ranging between 70 and 80 percent. Because the air in a home is unlikely to be this humid, you will need to take steps to boost humidity surrounding the plant in order for it to survive.

Fertilizer: It is an important aspect of Staghorn Fern care. When the plant is tied to a tree or rock in its native habitat, the lower fronds catch fallen leaves from other plants and trees, which degrade and release nutrients that the Staghorn Fern receives.

Temperature: Staghorn Ferns are not exposed to cold in their natural habitats because they live in the mild and temperate climates of tropical rainforests. When kept as a houseplant or in your garden, make sure that these circumstances are as close to perfect as possible.

The ideal daily temperature for this plant will be around 80° F, decreasing to around 60° F overnight.

Do you feed staghorn ferns bananas?

Banana peels are high in potassium and include trace levels of manganese and phosphorus, which are all important elements for gardens and houseplants.

Using banana fertilizer for staghorn ferns is a simple method to keep your plant healthy while decreasing kitchen trash.

Feed your fern up to four banana peels every month, depending on its growth, to supply potassium as well as smaller amounts of phosphate and minerals. A banana peel acts as a slow-release fertilizer for these nutrients.

Are bananas good for staghorn ferns?

The practice of placing banana peels around staghorn ferns is not a fable—it is fact!

Bananas are a good source of potassium for all plants including staghorn ferns. Potassium is an important component of plant cells and functions as the transporter for other nutrients throughout the plant’s body.

Do staghorn ferns need light?

Staghorn ferns thrive in the cracks and crevices of trees in tropical forests in the wild. This means they are adapted to the bright but dappled sunlight that streams down through the tree branches. You can easily replicate this look by hanging your own staghorn fern outside on the trunk of a huge tree.

While dappled sunlight is good, staghorn ferns also thrive in bright, indirect light. This is best accomplished by placing the fern in a covered porch with plenty of windows.

The idea is to expose the fern to a lot of light while keeping it out of direct sunlight. In full light, a staghorn fern will become burnt. Growing staghorn ferns in intense shade, on the other hand, will significantly inhibit their growth and increase the spread of fungus and illness.

Do staghorn ferns need to be fertilized?

Fertilizing your staghorn fern encourages rapid growth, particularly in young plants.

Feed your staghorn fern once a month during busy growth times (spring and summer). Make use of a well-balanced, water-soluble fertilizer (ratio of 1:1:1). Reduce fertilizing to every other month during dormancy months (autumn and winter).

Staghorns will thrive on a balanced diet, such as a 10:10:10 formula. There are alternative possibilities if a liquid purchased product fails your organic or natural test.

Popular choices include staghorn ferns and banana peels. Simply place a peel beneath the shield leaves. It will disintegrate and release nutrients to the plant over time.

Cut the peel into pieces and place them under the plant for faster breakdown. This will supply a lot of phosphorus and potassium, so you might want to supplement with a source of nitrogen.

Feeding banana peels to a staghorn fern provides a slow release of nutrients that the plant can easily absorb.

Are staghorn ferns toxic?

Platycerium bifurcatum, often known as staghorn fern or elkhorn fern, is a tropical plant notable for its antler-like fronds.

The staghorn fern is a popular air plant that may be grown in a hanging basket or even on suspended wooden boards. It can also live in indoor situations that are similar to its natural environment.

The staghorn fern is not toxic. Home growers do not need to be concerned about maintaining it in a home with pets or children.

Can staghorn ferns grow outside?

Staghorn ferns can grow outside.

Staghorn ferns are hardy in zones 9-12. However, while growing staghorn ferns outdoors, it is crucial to remember that they may need to be sheltered if temperatures fall below 55 degrees F. (13 C.).

This is why many people plant staghorn ferns in wire baskets or mounted on a piece of wood, so they can be brought indoors if it becomes too chilly outside.

The best outdoor settings for staghorn ferns are a partly shaded to shady site with lots of humidity and temperatures ranging from 60 to 80 degrees F. (16-27 C.). Although juvenile staghorn ferns can be purchased in containers with soil, their roots will decay fast.

Outdoors, staghorn ferns are typically planted in a hanging wire basket with sphagnum moss surrounding the root ball. Staghorn ferns obtain the majority of their water from humidity in the air; but, under dry conditions, it may be required to spray or water your staghorn fern if it appears to be wilting.

How do you get rid of mealybugs on staghorn ferns?

Though adding natural predators and cutting infested areas of a staghorn fern will help with huge mealybug infestations, minor numbers of pests can be dealt with individually.

To dislodge and wash away mealybugs, hose down the staghorn fern with a powerful blast of water, and repeat if additional egg sacks form.

Dab mealybugs with a cotton ball dipped in nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol to saturate them with the liquid, killing them. Alternatively, use insecticidal soap to the staghorn fern to prevent it from infection and injury.

How much are large staghorn ferns worth?

When it comes to staghorn ferns, the older they are, the more you will have to pay. Plan on spending anywhere from $10 to $300 or more on average. A 10-year-old plant, for example, may cost $100 to $150, whereas a plant older than 25 years may cost $500 to $1,000+.

However, if you only plan on purchasing a young fern from a local nursery, you should not have to pay more than $30.

How do you separate baby staghorn ferns?

Staghorn fern pups are plantlets that sprout from the parent plant. In nature, these puppies will eventually develop into new, full-fledged plants. The pups will be stuck behind the plant’s dark, dried shield fronds.

If you do not remove your staghorn fern puppies, they will grow larger and larger, eventually reaching the size of the parent plant. They will also continue to grow in number. As a result, the fronds form a highly appealing covering that can span 360 degrees in hanging baskets and 180 degrees on wall installations.

Pups are the primary means of propagation for staghorn ferns. The removal of staghorn fern puppies is simple and has a high success rate. Wait until the puppy is at least 4 inches (10 cm) wide.

Find the location under the brown shield fronds where the pup is stuck and cut the pup away with some roots attached with a sharp knife. You can mount the pup in the same way that you would a fully grown staghorn fern.

Where do staghorn ferns come from?

Staghorn ferns are a genus of roughly 18 species of epiphytic ferns in the polypod family (Polypodiaceae) endemic largely to Africa, Australia, and Southeast Asia, with fronds that mimic the forked antlers of male deer or elk.

The terms “staghorn fern” and “elkhorn fern” are frequently used interchangeably, while those with thinner fronds are commonly referred to as elkhorn ferns.

Are there different types of staghorn ferns?

Staghorn ferns are distinctive, exotic-looking plants that will pique the interest of visitors, whether they’re presented indoors or outdoors in a warm-climate garden. Staghorn ferns are any of the 18 species in the Platycerium genus, as well as several hybrids and variants of those species.

Many are tropical species, with some endemic to Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Pacific islands, and others native to South America or Africa. As a result, most staghorn fern variants require particular settings and maintenance.

When choosing a species of staghorn fern, consider your level of experience, the humidity level in your home, and the amount of space you have available. Because of the differences in cultivars, some are simpler to grow at home than others. If you intend to grow the fern outside, choose a shady location, such as a tree or a covered porch.

Can staghorn ferns grow in low light?

Staghorn ferns do not require full sunlight to thrive. Staghorn ferns grow in dim to moderate light in their native forests. They do need a good amount of humidity, so they should be misted or sprayed with water weekly; but most ferns will dry out if not watered at least monthly.

While dappled sunlight is good, staghorn ferns also thrive in bright, indirect light. This is best accomplished by placing the fern in a covered porch with plenty of windows.

Can staghorn ferns stay in pots?

Staghorn ferns are a conversation starter due to their size and uniqueness. Staghorn ferns are epiphytic plants, meaning they grow by attaching themselves to tree trunks or limbs.

This is a common concern because staghorns do not grow naturally in soil. The key to successfully growing staghorn ferns in baskets or pots is to mimic their natural environment as closely as possible. They can, however, grow in pots.

There are a few things you should keep in mind if you want to pot a staghorn fern.

Staghorn ferns grow well in wire or mesh baskets, but they can also be grown in standard pots. Fill the pot with a loose, well-drained potting mixture, preferably shredded pine bark, sphagnum moss, or something similar.

When the plant becomes overcrowded, repot it. Also, keep in mind that because drainage is limited in a regular pot, it is easier to overwater. Water sparingly to avoid the plant becoming waterlogged.

How much do staghorn ferns sell for?

Staghorn ferns are an extremely rare and expensive plant species. Aside from being extremely rare, the plant necessitates meticulous care. As a result, the plant is quite pricey when compared to other similar plants. They have a lot of growth requirements; hence their prices range from $10 to $300.

Can you separate staghorn ferns?

This is a one-of-a-kind plant that is both an air plant and a fern. This tropical fern is native to rainforests and does not resemble other ferns you may be more familiar with.

Splitting staghorns may appear to be intricate or difficult, but it isn’t. If this fern becomes too huge for its growth place or if you wish to spread it, you can and should divide it.

How do you propagate staghorn ferns?

Staghorn ferns can reproduce in this way:

The fronds of a mature elkhorn fern are divided into two types: brown sterile fronds that encircle the root ball and green foliar fronds that hang from the plant. Foliar fronds (also known as fertile fronds) generate spores, which eventually release seeds.

You can gather these spores in a brown paper bag, and after a few weeks, fresh seeds will appear at the bottom of the bag. Looking for little offshoots on both sterile and foliar fronds is an easier approach to propagate a staghorn fern.

Clip these offshoots (or snap them off with your fingers) and place them in moist sphagnum moss to aid in the establishment of new roots.

Why are staghorn ferns expensive?

Staghorn ferns are an extremely rare and expensive plant species. Aside from being extremely rare, the plant necessitates meticulous care. As a result, the plant is quite pricey when compared to other similar plants. They have a lot of growth requirements; hence their prices range from $10 to $300.

Staghorn ferns are quite pricey when compared to other house plants and ferns. Because of how rare the plant is, it is typical for the plant to be priced higher than other comparable and contemporary plants.

The price of the plant might range from $10 to $300 or more. The staghorn fern’s price is primarily determined by its age. The older this type of fern is, the higher its price. There is still a pricing range for the ferns based on age group.