Staghorn Fern

Growing in Pots, Balconies & Indoors

Staghorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum) is one of the classic epiphytic ferns and an outstanding houseplant – the grower confirms it grows happily indoors and in containers. It is usually mounted on a board or grown in a hanging basket rather than a deep pot, thriving in the bright, humid, shaded conditions of a room or a sheltered balcony.

Quick Details

• Container Size: A shallow pot, hanging basket, or a mounted board – the roots are small; it grows as an epiphyte rather than in a deep pot of soil
• Indoor Suitability: A genuine houseplant – happy in a bright, shaded room
• Best Spot: Bright, indirect light to shade – keep out of hot, direct sun, which scorches the fronds
• Soil & Drainage: Rich, moisture-retentive but free-draining mix; it likes constant moisture without waterlogging
• Watering in Pots: Keep the mix evenly moist and never let it dry out – pots dry fast, and ferns resent drought; high humidity is key

Indoors & On the Windowsill

• A true houseplant: Excellent indoors – mount it on a board or grow it in a basket and hang it in bright, indirect light. Water by soaking the root ball, then let excess drain.
• Humidity: Loves a humid room; mist regularly or grow it in a bathroom or kitchen where the air stays moist.
• Overwintering: Tender types (from warm, frost-free climates) should spend cold winters indoors as houseplants; hardier maidenhairs can stay outside in mild areas, but a pot lets you shelter them from hard frost – a key reason to grow ferns in containers.

On a Balcony or Patio

• Light & shelter: Choose a shaded, sheltered corner – a north or east aspect, or under a canopy. Ferns dislike wind, hot sun and reflected heat from walls and railings, all of which dry and crisp the fronds.
• Moisture: Pots on a balcony dry out quickly, so check daily in warm weather and keep the mix moist; grouping pots together raises humidity around the fronds.
• Practicalities: Provide free drainage and mind the runoff on paving or a shared balcony; a large planter is heavy once wet, so position it before filling.

Choosing the Pot, Soil & Long-Term Care

• Mount or basket: Grow it on a board with sphagnum moss, or in a basket – not a deep pot of dense soil. Whatever you use must drain freely so the roots never sit wet.
• Medium: A loose, airy, bark-and-moss based mix (or pure sphagnum on a mount) suits this epiphyte far better than ordinary potting soil.
• Feeding: Potted plants need feeding more often than those in the ground, as watering leaches nutrients away; give a dilute, balanced feed through the warm growing season and ease off in the cool season.
• Repotting: Refresh the mix and pot up about every two years; divide crowded clumps or rhizomes in the growing season and trim away any dead or tired fronds.