Ferns will add interest to any room with their soft delicate appearance. The most familiar and popular varieties for indoor use are those native to tropical settings.

Outdoors, in natural conditions ferns grow on the forest floor in shady conditions, which means that indoors, ferns thrive in filtered, indirect light from northern exposures in the summer months, and an east facing window in the winter months. Fern enjoy temperature ranges of 65 to 80 F, with a drop of 5 to 10 degrees F overnight.

The root system of ferns are fibrous, meaning they are near the surface. This limits the size of pot in which you can plant your ferns into as they do best in shallow post of no more than 4 to 6 inches deep, larger depths for large ferns. Ferns need a well draining soil mix that contains a large amount of humus. A mix of 2 parts peat moss, 1 part loamy garden soil, and 1 part perlite works well.

Fertilize ferns on a regular basis, but only use 1/4 to 1/2 of the manufacturers recommendations as the ferns shallow root system could be damaged easily if over fertilized.

Soil should be kept evenly moist. Over watering will cause the fronds to turn yellow and wilt because the fibrous roots will be unable to function due to the lack of oxygen. Plants kept too moist might end up with root rot, and once damaged the plant might not recover. If you were to look at the root system you’ll see that a healthy root system has light brown to whitish growing tips. Dead or injured roots will be dark brown or black.

Ferns can also suffer when under watered. Under watering will cause wilting of the fronds. If you notice this symptom, feel the soil and if it’s dry water immediately. You can also thoroughly soak the pot by submerging it in water. Bubbles will come up from the dry soil. keep submerged until the bubbling cease, then drain.

• Boston Fern (Nephrolepis) – long delicate fronds,light green foliage, variety of sizes, good for hanging basket. Propagate by division, runners or spores.
• Birdsnest Fern (Asplenium) – does not resemble a typical fern since the fronds are broad, leathery, and shiny green. Each leaf is a single sprout from the roots and grows up to 2 feet long and 10 inches wide. This bold plant looks nice an any home or office setting.
• Staghorn Fern (Platycerium) – Wide, flat leaves and resembles a stag’s horns. It is an unusual looking fern but easy to grow in sphagnum moss supported on a piece of wood. Although it is attractive in any room where there is good lighting, its unusual “container” is difficult to water in most locations so a greenhouse or plant room is ideal. This fern is slow growing but can grow up to 3 or 4 feet. Reproduce by division.
• Table Fern (Pteris) – has medium green foliage. Some types have creamy white markings in the center of each leaflet. Depending on the variety, fronds will grow up to 3 feet. This fern fits into any indoor landscape. Propagate by spores or division.
• Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum) – has lacy foliage with small, fan-shaped leaves, light to medium green in color. It grows rapidly, with some types reaching up to 26 inches in height. This fern requires high humidity. It will grow outdoors up until first frost and there are Maidenhair ferns native to Virginia which are hardy even in the mountains. Reproduce by spores and division.
• Rabbit’s Foot or Ball Fern (Davallia) is excellent for hanging baskets because the rhizomes (fleshy stems) will grow around the sides of pots. It does well in shade and grows up to 18 inches. Reproduces by division or spores.