Aspleniumspp.
There ’s so much to love about the bird ’s nest fern .
The large , cockle , bright light-green fronds that create a stem canker of foliage with a charming “ nest ” in the midsection . It ’s easygoing nature that wo n’t have you forever fussing with it .
It ’s the perfect fern for those who are just starting out in the world of Polypodiopsida .
Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
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The Victorians were absolutely obsessed with fern . They even had a name for it : Pteridomania .
Bird ’s nest was one of the most popular fern during that clip , thriving in the typically dark Department of the Interior of the Victorian home without needing a lot of care , and with a unequalled appearance that no other houseplant could oppose .
Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
Lots of flora popular during tight-laced time have since fallen out of style , but bird ’s nest ferns have continued to capture our hearts .
If you ’re ready to institute this sweetheart into your home plate , this guidebook can help you find success . Here ’s what we ’ll go over :
What You’ll Learn
Great news program , pet lover . Bird ’s nest fern is safe for pets ( and human ) because it ’s nontoxic . In fact , it ’s edible . That , and lot more fun fact , coming right up :
What Are Bird’s Nest Ferns?
There are about 700 species in theAspleniumgenus , and many of these are normally referred to as bird ’s nest ferns since they partake in a similar morphology , but it’sA. nidusspecifically that most citizenry have in mind .
All metal money in the genus are air plant that can conform to spirit in the land as well .
In their born habitat they typically raise in ribbon tree , but can fly high as mundane plants in loose , hummus - fat grunge .
They have a shallow rootstock that allow for them to drop anchor onto tree , fifth wheel , mossy rocks , or in the earth .
All specie can develop outdoors in Zones 10 to 12 .
A. nidusis autochthonic to easterly Africa , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , the Philippines , Taiwan , Thailand , Australia , and the Pacific Islands , where it uprise in warm , tropical climates .
The plant has a basal little potato of farsighted , narrow leaves that form a dense clump at the center . This center orbit is where the “ nest ” cognomen comes from . Debris and wet go down into this nest and decompose into a rich humus that the plant uses as its food generator .
The fronds also wave back and turn brown as they age , further developing the central nest - like appearing .
Each leaf can spring up over three feet tenacious , and the plant can be up to six feet across . The central rosette can become so robust and dense that other plants and animals use it as a nest .
As a true fern , the works reproduce by grow sporangium on the underside of the fronds . These brown sporophore exposed and disperse into the wind , sending them far and wide .
A. australasicumis the most common bird ’s nest fern mintage uncommitted for purchase in stores , and it ’s potential that unless the vendor specifically calls out which species it is , those in North America are normally coming home withA. australasicum .
you could tell the difference betweenA. australasicumandA. nidusby looking for the prominent midrib that runs along the bottom of the fronds . The leaf close down inward slightly from this prominent fundamental ridge , which is lacking inA. nidus .
This species is indigenous to Australia , where it grows as an air plant . Because it ’s not as well - adapted to terrestrial life asA. nidus , it ’s especially sensible to cockeyed theme and needs excellent drainage .
The other common Bronx cheer ’s nest fern species isA. antiquum , which is sometimes differentiated as Japanese skirt ’s nest fern or ō - tani - watari in Japan .
you could enjoin this one aside from the other two by its fronds , which are all a uniform width – the other species taper from the midriff of the leaf .
aboriginal to Japan , Taiwan , Korea , and China , it grows about 40 inch tall . LikeA. australasicum , it needs extremely light , well - draining grime .
Cultivation and History
This plant is n’t just a looker , though the long leaves are attractive . It ’s also a origin of intellectual nourishment for mass in Polynesia , Malaysia , and Taiwan . The untried fronds and shoot are eaten as vegetables .
Traditionally , ferns were reckon to be able to heal the quick temper , which is eternalize in the common name “ spleenwort , ” a full term apply to many fern genus regard beneficial for the short temper .
Bird ’s nest ferns really take in care during the prudish era , as did many houseplant that we still know and hump today .
They were such democratic plants that in the US , the cultivarA. nidus‘Victoria ’ was one of the first fern cultivars to be patented .
Bird’s Nest Fern Propagation
Bird ’s nest ferns are easier to propagate than some other fern species , especially if you produce them from cuttings .
But you also have the alternative to start them from spore , or you could just buy a plant from a nursery . Most shoes that specialise in houseplants will carry doll ’s nest fern .
From Spores
It ’s possible , though intriguing , to propagate shuttle ’s nest fern from the spore that they produce on the undersides of the leaves .
It ’s a time - down summons , but if you do it in good order , you may produce hundreds of baby plants from the spores accumulate from just one frond .
larn about this process in ourguide to grow ferns from spores .
From Cuttings
Bird ’s nest ferns are readily propagate via cuttings .
protrude by filling a small pot with half vermiculite and half soilless potting medium – do n’t use a medium that contains soil . Moisten the medium .
Pull or cut off a large frond , taking care to include a moment of stem at the base .
Insert the leaf into the potting medium at least an in deep and firm the medium up around the bag .
come out it in an sphere with brilliant , indirect illumination and keep the medium moist . After a few hebdomad , the leaf will in all likelihood begin to build up roots .
If it does n’t get down to wilt or rick chocolate-brown , then you may safely keep waiting for as long as the leaf attend healthy .
If you ’re queer how things are developing underground , you’re able to stick your hands into the land and wiggle them a few inch below the base of the folio . lightly lift it up and face for tooth root .
Transplanting
If you bring home a potted plant from a nursery , or you bug out your own from cuttings or spores , finally you ’re run to need to move the plant into a different container .
To do this , put a layer of potting metier in the bottom of the new container . Gently remove the plant from its growing container and loosen up the roots a little .
Hold the plant in place so it will sit at the same height in the new pot and fill in around it with fresh potting soil .
Be careful not to swallow up the works deep than the “ nest . ” Water the potting soil and add a little more if it settles .
How to Grow Bird’s Nest Ferns
This plant is made in the shade . It wo n’t tolerate full or even fond sunlight . Anything over five minute of direct brightness per day will eventually pour down it , though a little morning light is tolerated .
That mean indoors you require it where it will be in about 60 to 85 percent shade – the kind of light you ’d find if you were brook under a deciduous Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
That would translate to an domain completely out of direct Light Within but not so blur that it is in complete darkness . If you look at the ground , it ’s bright enough to shed a vague , indistinct phantasm .
prefer a spot near a north - facing window or several feet away from a south- , east- , or due west - face windowpane . A south - facing windowpane covered with filmy curtains would be perfect .
If the plant is exposed to too much lighting , it may hold back maturate and the leaf will become deformed and finally go bad .
While they will be fine in any standard potting mix , Aspleniumspecies favor a slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 .
Most commercial potting mixture are more or less acidulent to neutral , but they rarely spell out the pH.
you may either appear for a product that lists the pH on the packaging or pick out a mix with sphagnum moss added , which creates a slightly more acidic environment .
My favorite alternative is FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Mix , which moderate earthworm castings , bat guano , Pisces repast , humous , and sphagnum peat moss . All things that epiphytic houseplants love .
FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Mix
Pick some up at Amazonin 12 - quart handbag .
A product with good drainage , lot of aeration , and pee retention is arrant .
Keep the potting medium moist at all times . The very control surface of the soil can dry out out , but no more .
If you stick your finger in the stain , it should sense like a well - wrung - out sponge . Any soggier , and you chance root rot .
When you irrigate , be certain to water at the stain level and not on the leave-taking – do n’t tolerate any water to get into the cardinal rosette or “ nest . ”
you may also mount the plant life , which is a great way to fend off radical bunkum , since it ’s unmanageable to overwater mounted plants .
Mounting demand wrapping the roots in moss and securing this to a telegram or wood support .
Fertilizetwice a twelvemonth with a mild , balanced food . If you feast these plant too much and too often , it can result in stunt ontogeny and the frond may thicken and become deformed – or the tips of the fronds may turn brown and die .
Once in the spring and once in the summer is plenty . Look for a food for thought that is formulated for houseplants . These are ordinarily mild and have a balanced NPK proportion .
For exemplar , Dr. Earth ’s Pump & Grow House Plant food come in a commodious pump container and has a 1 - 1 - 1 NPK proportion .
Dr. Earth Pump and Grow Fertilizer
I love the pump container because you could utilize it flat to the potting medium or add it to a tearing can with no muss , no fuss . take hold of a 16 - troy ounce containerat Arbico Organics .
void reveal the plants to temperature below 65 and above 90 ° F – they ca n’t survive below 50 ° F .
Your bird ’s nest fern wo n’t truly look its honest unless you provide it with high humidity . aspire for a relative humidity of about 60 percentage . It can sure survive in blue humidity , but you might see brown folio tips .
aggroup industrial plant together can avail grow the relative humidity around them , as can growing in a bathroom or next to the kitchen sink .
you could determine more about grow ferns indoors in our guide .
Growing Tips
Maintenance
Remember all that talk about its easygoing nature ? You do n’t need to prune or otherwise maintain these plants except to transfer any frond that are dead , diseased , or deformed .
If a frond breaks , go forrader and take away it . Turns yellow ? dress it off .
you may gently pull the frond away or cut it as close to the floor as you may with scissor hold or pruners . ensure they ’re sporting !
As the flora age , you will need to repot into a with child container as it outgrows its current dwelling house .
When the bag of the leaves initiate reaching within an in of the pot border , it ’s time for an upgrade .
select a container one size up , fill it with potting grease , and place the old plant in it at the same level as it was in the previous container . fill up in around the roots with more potting grease .
Bird’s Nest Fern Species and Cultivars to Select
A. antiquumandA. nidusare the two most common species you ’ll see called out by name in store .
If there is n’t a species name and the works is just listed as “ snort ’s nest fern , ” it ’s potential to beA. australasicum .
Campio
‘ Campio ’ has the classic growth habit of itsA. nidusparent , but has lobed , fringed , cock farewell that have the lacy calculate we usually associate with fern .
The long frond are just a act all-inclusive than those of the species .
Home Depot carriesthis charming cultivar in a six inch pot .
Crissie
ThisA. antiquumcultivar has a more undecided emergence habit and grow prominent than the species , with fronds pass up to 60 inches long .
The leaves have an interesting forked crown , like a Snake River ’s tongue .
‘ Crissie ’
Snag one in a four - inch deal from Wekiva Foliagevia Amazon .
Crispy Wave
A. nidus‘Crispy undulation ’ is one of my favourite because of its wavy , wrinkled leaves . They look like gullible ribbons babble in the breeze .
The plant bide about the same size as the species , it ’s just the crinkly fronds that make it stand out .
Hurricane
A. antiquum‘Vitasphur ’ aka hurricane fern is a stand - out option .
The leave really look like they ’re being blister around in the steer of a hurricane .
The fronds curl and flex around in a clockwise guidance on this newer cultivar , which was bred in 2013 by Henk van Duijnhoven in Mariahout , the Netherlands .
‘ Vitasphur ’
Invite the storm to your distance , and grab one in a six - inch pot from BubbleBloomsvia Amazon .
Leslie
you may be forgiven for opine you ’re looking at a pot fill with some kind of stinking lettuce when you first arrange eye on thisA. antiquumcultivar .
‘ Leslie ’ has a more just shape than the species , with rippling fronds cap with wavy , forked terminal . It ’s an sympathetic and eye - catch industrial plant .
inspect Home Depotto grab a live flora in a four - inch dangling hoop .
Osaka
‘ Osaka ’ is anA. niduscultivar know for being more cold - hardy than the species , tolerate temperatures down to around 40 ° fluorine .
It also has slimly crinkly edges on the fronds , further setting it apart from the species .
It ’s a respectable choice if your house tends to be cold or if you want to farm yours outdoors in domain that do n’t fell below 40 ° F .
Victoria
One looking atA. nidus‘Victoria ’ and you ’ll be in making love . It has leaf with ruffled and scrunch up edge . It ’s attractive without being ostentatious .
natter Home Depotto pick up ‘ Victoria ’ in a four - column inch hanging pot .
Managing Pests and Disease
Provided that you water at the soil degree , quarantine your new plants before fetch them into the home , and on a regular basis examine your specimens for pests , the chances are low that you ’ll have any trouble with your fowl ’s nest fern .
Of course , no plant is completely immune to issues , so here are some to keep an eye on for :
Insects
There are two insects that will oft feed onAspleniumspecies , and they ’re closely refer .
Mealybugs are ellipse , two-dimensional , sap - sucking insect that expend their sucking mouthparts to draw the sap out of plants .
They ’re covered in a waxy grey or white coating , and they tend to constellate together and move lento . It ’s gentle to mistake them for a white fungal disease rather than pests .
If you see them hanging out on the bottom of the fronds or on the stems , you’re able to address the issue by wiping them with a cotton mop dip in isopropyl alcohol .
This remove their protective app and leaves them discover .
Beyond that , we have a few othertips for dealing with mealybugs in our guide .
close colligate to mealybugs , these worm front and act in a like manner , except that they ’re brown and do n’t have a blurred app .
you may deal with them the same way . We also havea usher to help you call an infestation .
Disease
semitransparent , water - soaked situation on the fronds are declarative of bacterial blight , which is a disease stimulate byPseudomonas cichoriiorP. gladiolus .
As the spots geezerhood , the centre turn brick red with purple margins . In the right conditions – hot and humid – the blot can merge , and the whole foliage will conk out .
There is n’t an effective intervention so invalidate contagion in the first blank space is crucial . Do n’t allow water to plash on the foliation , instead , be sure to water at the soil level .
Do n’t forget about tooth root guff , as well . This is n’t a disease , but a physiologic issue cause by overwatering , which drowns the roots and deprives them of atomic number 8 .
boil down watering if you suspect theme rot , which read up as drooping , miry brown frond .
Best Uses for Bird’s Nest Ferns
As an aerophyte , you’re able to grow this plant mounted on wood or bamboo .
Bird ’s nest fern are beautiful houseplants and because they can tolerate cramped conditions , they are idealistic if you want to fill up small , interesting pots .
Many houseplants demand large Mary Jane , but these ferns can produce in those small , funky , often visionary sens you often see at garden stores .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
The Fern for Everyone
fern can be a challenge to uprise indoors , but bird ’s nest is the perfect option for fresh growers who want to dip their toe in the fern - growing waters .
They ’re a beautiful option for more innovative agriculturalist too , so do n’t overlook them even if you have mastered the fine art of growing the more thought-provoking species .
And formore information about growing other types of fern , control out these guides next :
Photos by Kristine Lofgren © need the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more particular . intersection photos via Arbico Organics , BubbleBlooms , and FoxFarm . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
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