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The staghorn fern is an epiphytic fern known for its unique fronds. In this post, we’ll review staghorn fern care as well as how to mount and propagate staghorn ferns.
The staghorn fern is native to parts of Southeast Asia, Australia, Africa, and South America. It is an epiphytic plant, meaning it grows on the surface of another plant rather than out of the ground, like nestled into a tree trunk, for example.
Staghorn ferns get their name from their fronds resembling the antlers (horns) of a deer (stag = male deer).
Where can I buy a Staghorn Fern?
You can easily find a staghorn fern on Etsy. Check out this insanely cool mounted staghorn fern from one of my favorite Etsy shops!
Staghorn Fern Care
Fronds
Before we get into all the aspects of staghorn fern care, it’s important that you understand staghorn fern fronds because I’ll be referring to them throughout this post. Staghorn ferns have two types of fronds, each with its own purpose.
- The upright-growing fronds that resemble antlers are the fertile fronds. They are responsible for reproduction. These fronds develop spores.
- The other fronds that are smaller and don’t look like antlers are the shield fronds. They are sterile, not responsible for reproduction. They grow around the base over the plant’s roots and are responsible for nutrient and water intake.
Light
Staghorn ferns prefer bright, indirect light or bright diffused light. Diffused light means the light would pass through something before hitting your plant, like a sheer curtain. Do not put your fern in direct light or the fronds could burn.
You can also use a grow light for your fern, just be careful the light is not too close to the fern. For more grow light help, check out my post on grow lights for indoor plants. (My two favorite grow lights are below.)
And check out my post on natural light for indoor plants for a guide on how to determine what kind of natural light you have in your home.
Water
Water your fern about once a week in warm weather and once every two weeks in the winter.
However, keep in mind you’ll need to adjust this accordingly if you feel like your plant needs more or less frequent watering. For example, a plant in lower light will need less watering because it takes longer to dry out.
Give your staghorn a thorough watering. If you have your fern mounted, you can take the entire plant with its mount down off the wall, stick it in the shower or outside, and use a hose to soak the whole thing. Once it’s dry enough, hang it back on your wall.
You need to make sure you are soaking the fronds because remember, the fronds are what take in water and nutrients, not the roots.
Humidity
An important aspect of staghorn fern care that you should not forget is humidity. Since they are native to tropical regions, staghorn ferns thrive in high humidity. A humidifier is an easy way to provide humidity. Also, staghorn ferns make great bathroom plants for this reason.
I wrote about easy ways to create humidity for your houseplants with step-by-step instructions, so be sure to check out that post for more help!
Pruning
Never remove the shield fronds. Over time, they will turn brown, and you might find them ugly. However, as these fronds die they will actually feed the plant! Isn’t that incredible?
You can, however, remove the other fronds that resemble antlers if they are damaged or dying. Use a pair of clean shears or scissors and cut the frond to the base. Don’t cut it off in the middle of the frond.
Fertilizing
In its natural habitat, the shield fronds will collect fallen debris, supplying your plant with nutrients as the debris decomposes. Therefore, in an environment lacking said debris, you should include fertilizing as part of your staghorn fern care routine.
Used a balanced, liquid plant fertilizer (an NPK ratio of 10-10-10 is good for this plant). Dilute it by half once a month during the growing season (spring and summer). Water the fertilizer in as you water your fern. If your plant is mature, only fertilize it twice a year.
Mounting a Staghorn Fern
Staghorn ferns are usually mounted, but you still can pot them up if you prefer (we’ll review potting after we discuss mounting).
Ferns are typically mounted onto a piece of preserved wood or a decorative piece of driftwood. It’s important that you use a piece of wood that is preserved so it will not rot. You should also have some sphagnum moss, sheet moss (optional), and clear fishing line.
- Take some sphagnum moss, moistened slightly, enough that it will act as a base for your plant, and place it down onto the piece of wood.
- Take your fern out of its pot and remove any large amounts of excess soil (leaving a little left is fine).
- Place the root ball of the fern on top of the moss and wood. Gently flatten out the root ball first, if needed.
- Place more sphagnum moss around that to cradle the root ball.
- (OPTIONAL STEP) Wrap the sheet moss around the outside of the sphagnum moss-wrapped fern if you want a neater look.
- As you wrap your sphagnum and sheet moss, make sure you’re not covering up the shield fronds.
- Use the fishing line to secure the fern and moss to the wood. Use as much as you need to make sure it’s tightly secured.
- Done! Now you’ll just need to find a spot to hang your mounted fern.
Alternatively, there are some pretty awesome mounting kits on Etsy (like these!) that make it easy by giving you everything you need to mount your plant. (Note: I’ve linked to the entire search results page instead of one single item because these seem to sell out quickly!)
Potting Up/Potting Mix
Can staghorn ferns grow in pots?
Although staghorn ferns are typically mounted, yes, they can grow in pots! You will frequently find staghorns at your garden center in pots, rather than being pre-mounted.
Use a pot that has good drainage, and be more mindful not to overwater since it’ll take longer for a potted fern to dry out than a mounted fern.
Do staghorn ferns need soil?
No, because they are epiphytes, staghorn ferns do not naturally grow in soil and therefore do not need it. Instead of soil, use a loose, well-draining potting mix that contains a mixture of sphagnum moss, perlite, and bark, or something similar. The key is that it must be loose and well draining, since these plants don’t normally grow out of the ground.
As you pot up your plant, take care not to pack in the fern too tightly, either.
Repotting/Remounting
If you have your staghorn in a pot, you can repot it once every few years. They are OK with being slightly crowded, but when it looks like they’re really getting too big, it’s time to repot your plant in one the next size up from its current pot that has good drainage.
If your staghorn is mounted, you’ll need to re-mount it if the fern gets too large. So, make sure you don’t use a small mount to begin wtih!
Staghorn Fern Propagation
Spores
To propagate a staghorn, you’ll need to collect its spores which you’ll find underneath its fertile fronds. It’s best to do this in the spring or summer (the growing season).
- Remember, only the antler-looking fronds are the fertile fronds and will have spores. Look underneath those fronds and find spores that have darkened.
- You can do one of two things:
- Gently scrape off some spores, collecting them in a bag or clean container
- Remove a frond and place it in a paper bag. After the fronds spend some time drying out, spores will have fallen off into the bag
- Prepare a pot of moistened sphagnum moss and place the spores on top of the moss.
- Use the bottom-watering technique to keep the moss moist. This means you’ll place the pot in a dish of water and let it soak up whatever it needs through its drainage hole, instead of watering the top of the moss. Let the pot soak until you feel the top of the moss is damp. You don’t want it sopping wet, but the spores should remain damp.
- Keep the spores in a sunny spot and help lock in moisture by placing a clear plastic bag or plastic wrap around the top of the pot, but remove it every few weeks for air flow. Alternatively, mist the spores every few days but you’ll have to be more diligent with this.
Note that it can take three to six months for the spores to germinate and develop, and a year or longer for the fern to start developing into, well, a fern.
Pups
If your fern has a pup growing on it, you can cut this off where it’s attached to the parent plant, making sure to include some roots.
Use a clean, sharp knife to do so, and that’s it! Then you can mount your new baby plant and care for it as normal.
Additional Information
Are staghorn ferns toxic to pets?
The staghorn fern is nontoxic to cats and dogs. However, it’s best practice to keep all plants out of your furry friends’ reach.
What is the difference between elkhorn ferns and staghorn ferns?
Staghorn ferns and elkhorn ferns are often confused for one another or used interchangeably because of their similar look and animal-related name.
- Elkhorn ferns are smaller and have skinnier fronds than staghorn ferns.
- Elkhorn ferns are actually terrestrial plants (grow out of the ground), NOT epiphytes like staghorn ferns. However, elkhorns can still be successfully planted on a mount.
Love ferns? Check out my Bird’s Nest Fern care, propagation, and mounting guide!
Frances M. Gentle says
I am interested in knowing how to divide a staghorn fern.
Megan Mills says
I have an old giant stag horn and we had to halve it. It has about 24” rootball. Can I cut some off? It’s just all dead stuff thanks
Merrill Perry says
I have a large mature staghorn that needs to be placed on a larger board. How do I get it off of the original board and onto the other without damaging it. Does the moss underneath need to be moist in order to pull the plant off?? Can I use a large knife to slice underneath the plant and between the current board to separate it from the old board? I know this is a 2-man job due to weight and size. I have already cut the old ties keeping it on the board. Thanks!
Julie - Houseplant Aficionado says
Hi Merrill – The moss doesn’t have to be moist, but it might help you if you’re having trouble. If you’re unable to pull it off the board with your hands without damaging it, then I would use the knife, not to cut the plant away, but to try to get in between the plant and the board and pry it off, like you said. Good luck!
Nanette D Fox says
Hi. I believe I have grown a pup from my staghorn fern and a shield frond from it as well. The parent plant is turning yellow 1 frond by 1 frond. What is happening? It is mounted and I water it 1x per week. Its not in the brightest spot but It seems ok. Thank you
Julie - Houseplant Aficionado says
Hi Nanette – Yellowing is a common symptom of either over or under watering. If you find once a week does not work for your plant, try adjusting that to be more or less frequent depending on what you think your plant needs. If it’s not in a bright spot, it might be overwatering. Also, make sure your fern is getting some humidity.
Michèle says
I would like to know how to treat the black spit on the leaf?
Vikki Andrews says
How do I get one of the pups off the main plant? I want to attach the pup to a tree. The plant was given to me. Its small but it has these baby pups sprouting all on the main plant. And then how to I attach to my tree?
Julie - Houseplant Aficionado says
Hi Vikki – You should be able to cut the pup off of where it meets the parent plant with a clean, sharp knife. You can attach it to your tree just as you would mount it on a board. Good luck!
Hunter says
My stag horn is 5 months old and in a south facing bathroom window. It gets watered once a week. It seemed to be in a pretty similar state this whole time until the last couple of weeks 2-3. The ferns seem like they are starting to wither and some are now droopy. One section of fronds and a basal also seem much more loose from the rest of the plant as of the last week. Like they are a separate plant almost. Thanks for any advice