How to Grow and Care for Bird’s Nest Ferns

Asplenium spp.

There’s a lot to like concerning the fowl’s nest fern.

The massive, rippling, vivid inexperienced fronds that create a rosette of foliage with an enthralling “nest” within the center. It’s easygoing nature that received’t have you ever continuously fussing with it.

It’s the proper fern for many who are simply beginning out on the earth of Polypodiopsida.

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The Victorians had been completely obsessive about ferns. They even had a reputation for it: Pteridomania.

Fowl’s nest was one of the crucial widespread ferns throughout that point, thriving within the sometimes darkish inside of the Victorian house with no need lots of care, and with a novel look that no different houseplant might match.

A number of vegetation widespread throughout Victorian occasions have since fallen out of vogue, however fowl’s nest ferns have continued to seize our hearts.

If you happen to’re able to carry this magnificence into your own home, this information may help you discover success. Right here’s what we’ll go over:

Nice information, pet lovers. Fowl’s nest fern is protected for pets (and people) as a result of it’s unhazardous. In reality, it’s edible. That, and plenty extra enjoyable info, coming proper up:

What Are Fowl’s Nest Ferns?

There are about 700 species within the Asplenium genus, and lots of of those are generally known as fowl’s nest ferns since they share the same morphology, nevertheless it’s A. nidus particularly that most individuals bear in mind.

All species within the genus are epiphytes that may adapt to life within the soil as effectively.

Of their pure habitat they sometimes develop in palm bushes, however can thrive as terrestrial vegetation in unfastened, humus-rich soil.

They’ve a shallow rhizome that permits them to anchor onto bushes, deadwood, mossy rocks, or within the earth.

All species can develop outside in Zones 10 to 12.

A. nidus is indigenous to japanese Africa, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, the place it grows in heat, tropical climates.

The plant has a basal rosette of lengthy, slim leaves that kind a dense cluster on the heart. This heart space is the place the “nest” moniker comes from. Particles and moisture fall into this nest and decompose right into a wealthy humus that the plant makes use of as its meals supply.

The fronds additionally curl again and switch brown as they age, additional creating the central nest-like look.

Every leaf can develop over three ft lengthy, and the plant might be as much as six ft throughout. The central rosette can grow to be so wealthy and dense that different vegetation and animals use it as a nest.

As a real fern, the plant reproduces by creating sporangia on the undersides of the fronds. These brown sporophores open and disperse into the wind, sending them far and extensive.

A. australasicum is the most typical fowl’s nest fern species accessible for buy in shops, and it’s doubtless that until the vendor particularly calls out which species it’s, these in North America are normally coming house with A. australasicum.

You’ll be able to inform the distinction between A. australasicum and A. nidus by searching for the distinguished midrib that runs alongside the underside of the fronds. The leaf folds inward barely from this distinguished central ridge, which is missing in A. nidus.

This species is indigenous to Australia, the place it grows as an epiphyte. As a result of it’s not as well-adapted to terrestrial life as A. nidus, it’s particularly delicate to moist roots and wishes glorious drainage.

The opposite frequent fowl’s nest fern species is A. antiquum, which is typically differentiated as Japanese fowl’s nest fern or ō-tani-watari in Japan.

You’ll be able to inform this one other than the opposite two by its fronds, that are all a uniform width – the opposite species taper from the center of the leaf.

Native to Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and China, it grows about 40 inches tall. Like A. australasicum, it wants extraordinarily gentle, well-draining soil.

Cultivation and Historical past

This plant isn’t only a looker, although the lengthy leaves are engaging. It’s additionally a supply of meals for folks in Polynesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan. The younger fronds and shoots are eaten as greens.

Historically, ferns had been thought to have the ability to heal the spleen, which is immortalized within the frequent identify “spleenwort,” a time period given to many fern genera thought-about helpful for the spleen.

Fowl’s nest ferns actually gained consideration throughout the Victorian period, as did many houseplants that we nonetheless know and love at the moment.

They had been such widespread vegetation that within the US, the cultivar A. nidus ‘Victoria’ was one of many first fern cultivars to be patented.

Fowl’s Nest Fern Propagation

Fowl’s nest ferns are simpler to propagate than another fern species, particularly in the event you develop them from cuttings.

However you even have the choice to start out them from spores, or you may simply buy a plant from a nursery. Most locations specializing in houseplants will carry fowl’s nest ferns.

From Spores

It’s doable, although difficult, to propagate fowl’s nest ferns from the spores that they produce on the undersides of the leaves.

It’s a time-consuming course of, however in the event you do it proper, you may produce lots of of child vegetation from the spores collected from only one frond.

Study this course of in our information to rising ferns from spores.

From Cuttings

Fowl’s nest ferns are readily propagated by way of cuttings.

Begin by filling a small pot with half vermiculite and half soilless potting medium – don’t use a medium that accommodates soil. Moisten the medium.

Pull or minimize off a big frond, taking care to incorporate a little bit of stem on the base.

Insert the leaf into the potting medium at the least an inch deep and agency the medium up across the base.

Place it in an space with vivid, oblique gentle and hold the medium moist. After a number of weeks, the leaf will doubtless start to develop roots.

If it doesn’t begin to droop or flip brown, then you may safely hold ready for so long as the leaf appears wholesome.

If you happen to’re curious how issues are creating underground, you may stick your fingers into the soil and wiggle them a number of inches beneath the bottom of the leaf. Gently carry it up and search for roots.

Transplanting

If you happen to carry house a potted plant from a nursery, otherwise you begin your individual from cuttings or spores, ultimately you’re going to wish to maneuver the plant into a special container.

To do that, put a layer of potting medium within the backside of the brand new container. Gently take away the plant from its rising container and loosen up the roots a little bit.

Maintain the plant in place so it’s going to sit on the identical peak within the new pot and fill in round it with recent potting soil.

Watch out to not bury the plant deeper than the “nest.” Water the potting soil and add a little bit extra if it settles.

Develop Fowl’s Nest Ferns

This plant is made within the shade. It received’t tolerate full and even partial daylight. Something over 5 hours of direct gentle per day will ultimately kill it, although a little bit morning gentle is tolerated.

Meaning indoors you need it the place will probably be in about 60 to 85 % shade – the type of gentle you’d discover in the event you had been standing underneath a deciduous tree.

That might translate to an space fully out of direct gentle however not so dim that it’s in full darkness. If you happen to take a look at the bottom, it’s vivid sufficient to solid a obscure, vague shadow.

Select a spot close to a north-facing window or a number of ft away from a south-, east-, or west-facing window. A south-facing window coated with sheer curtains could be good.

If the plant is uncovered to an excessive amount of gentle, it could cease rising and the leaves will grow to be deformed and ultimately die.

Whereas they are going to be effective in any commonplace potting combine, Asplenium species choose a barely acidic soil with a pH of 5.5 to six.5.

Most business potting mixes are barely acidic to impartial, however they not often spell out the pH.

Whenever you water, make sure to water on the soil degree and never on the leaves – don’t enable any water to get into the central rosette or “nest.”

You may as well mount the plant, which is an effective way to keep away from root rot, because it’s tough to overwater mounted vegetation.

Mounting includes wrapping the roots in moss and securing this to a wire or wooden assist.

Fertilize twice a 12 months with a light, balanced meals. If you happen to feed these vegetation an excessive amount of and too usually, it may end up in stunted progress and the fronds might thicken and grow to be deformed – or the guidelines of the fronds might flip brown and die.

As soon as within the spring and as soon as in the summertime is loads. Search for a meals that’s formulated for houseplants. These are normally gentle and have a balanced NPK ratio.

For instance, Dr. Earth’s Pump & Develop Home Plant meals is available in a handy pump container and has a 1-1-1 NPK ratio.

Dr. Earth Pump and Develop Fertilizer

I like the pump container as a result of you may apply it on to the potting medium or add it to a watering can with no muss, no fuss. Seize a 16-ounce container at Arbico Organics.

Keep away from exposing the vegetation to temperatures beneath 65 and above 90°F – they will’t survive beneath 50°F.

Your fowl’s nest fern received’t actually look its finest until you present it with excessive humidity. Intention for a relative humidity of about 60 %. It may possibly definitely survive in decrease humidity, however you may see brown leaf ideas.

Grouping vegetation collectively may help elevate the relative humidity round them, as can rising in a rest room or subsequent to the kitchen sink.

You’ll be able to study extra about rising ferns indoors in our information.

Rising Suggestions

• Develop in vivid, oblique gentle. Keep away from direct gentle.
• Maintain the soil moist however not moist.
• Feed twice a 12 months with a houseplant-specific meals.

Upkeep

Bear in mind all that discuss its easygoing nature? You don’t must prune or in any other case preserve these vegetation besides to take away any fronds which might be lifeless, diseased, or deformed.

If a frond breaks, go forward and take away it. Turns yellow? Snip it off.

You’ll be able to gently pull the frond away or minimize it as near the bottom as you may with scissors or pruners. Make sure that they’re clear!

Because the plant ages, you will have to repot into a bigger container because it outgrows its present house.

When the bottom of the leaves begin reaching inside an inch of the pot edges, it’s time for an improve.

Select a container one dimension up, fill it with potting soil, and place the previous plant in it on the identical degree because it was within the earlier container. Fill in across the roots with extra potting soil.

Fowl’s Nest Fern Species and Cultivars to Choose

A. antiquum and A. nidus are the 2 most typical species you’ll see known as out by identify in shops.

If there isn’t a species identify and the plant is solely listed as “fowl’s nest fern,” it’s prone to be A. australasicum.

A. nidus

You will discover A. nidus accessible at Planting Tree.

Campio

‘Campio’ has the basic progress behavior of its A. nidus mother or father, however has lobed, fringed, ruffled leaves which have the lacy look we normally affiliate with ferns.

The lengthy fronds are only a bit wider than these of the species.

Residence Depot carries this charming cultivar in a six inch pot.

Crissie

This A. antiquum cultivar has a extra open progress behavior and grows bigger than the species, with fronds reaching as much as 60 inches lengthy.

The leaves have an fascinating forked tip, like a snake’s tongue.

‘Crissie’

Snag one in a four-inch pot from Wekiva Foliage by way of Amazon.

Crispy Wave

A. nidus ‘Crispy Wave’ is one in every of my favorites due to its wavy, wrinkled leaves. They appear like inexperienced ribbons rippling within the breeze.

The plant stays about the identical dimension because the species, it’s simply the wavy fronds that make it stand out.

Hurricane

A. antiquum ‘Vitasphur’ aka hurricane fern is a stand-out choice.

The leaves actually appear like they’re being whipped round within the wind of a hurricane.

The fronds curl and twist round in a clockwise course on this newer cultivar, which was bred in 2013 by Henk van Duijnhoven in Mariahout, the Netherlands.

‘Vitasphur’

Invite the storm to your area, and seize one in a six-inch pot from BubbleBlooms by way of Amazon.

Leslie

You might be forgiven for considering you’re taking a look at a pot full of some type of funky lettuce once you first set eyes on this A. antiquum cultivar.

‘Leslie’ has a extra upright form than the species, with rippling fronds capped with wavy, forked ends. It’s an interesting and crowd pleasing plant.

Go to Residence Depot to seize a stay plant in a four-inch hanging basket.

Osaka

‘Osaka’ is an A. nidus cultivar recognized for being extra cold-hardy than the species, tolerating temperatures all the way down to round 40°F.

It additionally has barely wavy edges on the fronds, additional setting it other than the species.

It’s an excellent choice if your own home tends to be chilly or if you wish to develop yours outside in areas that don’t drop beneath 40°F.

Victoria

One take a look at A. nidus ‘Victoria’ and also you’ll be in love. It has leaves with ruffled and crinkled edges. It’s engaging with out being ostentatious.

Go to Residence Depot to select up ‘Victoria’ in a four-inch hanging pot.

Managing Pests and Illness

Supplied that you just water on the soil degree, quarantine your new vegetation earlier than bringing them into the house, and often study your specimens for pests, the probabilities are low that you just’ll have any hassle together with your fowl’s nest ferns.

In fact, no plant is totally resistant to points, so listed here are some to observe for:

Bugs

There are two bugs that may ceaselessly feed on Asplenium species, they usually’re intently associated.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are oval, flat, sap-sucking bugs that use their sucking mouthparts to attract the sap out of vegetation.

They’re coated in a waxy grey or white coating, they usually are inclined to cluster collectively and transfer slowly. It’s simple to mistake them for a white fungal illness quite than pests.

If you happen to see them hanging out on the undersides of the fronds or on the stems, you may tackle the difficulty by wiping them with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol.

This removes their protecting coating and leaves them uncovered.

Past that, we’ve a number of different ideas for coping with mealybugs in our information.

Scale

Carefully associated to mealybugs, these bugs look and act in the same method, besides that they’re brown and don’t have a fuzzy coating.

You’ll be able to cope with them the identical approach. We even have a information that will help you tackle an infestation.

Illness

Translucent, water-soaked spots on the fronds are indicative of bacterial blight, which is a illness attributable to Pseudomonas cichorii or P. gladioli.

Because the spots age, the facilities flip brick pink with purple margins. In the appropriate situations – scorching and humid – the spots can merge, and the entire leaf will die.

There isn’t an efficient remedy so avoiding an infection within the first place is essential. Don’t enable water to splash on the foliage, as a substitute, make sure to water on the soil degree.

Don’t overlook about root rot, as effectively. This isn’t a illness, however a physiological challenge attributable to overwatering, which drowns the roots and deprives them of oxygen.

Cut back watering in the event you suspect root rot, which reveals up as drooping, soggy brown fronds.

Greatest Makes use of for Fowl’s Nest Ferns

As an epiphyte, you may develop this plant mounted on wooden or bamboo.

Fowl’s nest ferns are stunning houseplants and since they will tolerate cramped situations, they’re superb if you wish to replenish small, fascinating pots.

Many houseplants want giant pots, however these ferns can develop in these small, funky, usually impractical pots you usually see at backyard shops.

Fast Reference Rising Information

Plant Kind:	Evergreen fern	Foliage Coloration:	Inexperienced
Native to:	Africa, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Pacific Islands, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand	Tolerance:	Some shade/low gentle
Hardiness (USDA Zone):	10-12	Upkeep	Low
Publicity:	Vivid, oblique gentle	Soil Kind:	Free, humus-rich
Time to Maturity:	2 years	Soil pH:	5.5-6.5
Planting Depth:	Crown barely above soil	Soil Drainage:	Effectively-draining
Peak:	As much as 3 foot	Makes use of:	Specimen, mounting
Unfold:	As much as 3 foot	Household:	Aspleniaceae
Water Wants:	Average	Genus:	Asplenium
Widespread Pests and Illnesses:	Mealybugs, scale; bacterial blight, root rot	Species:	Antiquum, australasicum, nidus

The Fern for Everybody

Ferns generally is a problem to develop indoors, however fowl’s nest is the proper choice for brand new growers who need to dip their toe within the fern-growing waters.

They’re a gorgeous choice for extra superior growers too, so don’t overlook them even in case you have mastered the artwork of rising the tougher species.

Are you rising fowl’s nest ferns? Tell us within the feedback part beneath!

And for extra details about rising different kinds of ferns, take a look at these guides subsequent: