My Staghorn Fern

I just love ferns and find it amazing that there are more than 10,000 different species of these non-flowering perennials. They are so versatile for both planting in pots and in the landscape. One of my favorite types of fern, and probably one of the most unusual, is the staghorn. Native to the jungles of the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Australia, Madagascar, Africa, and the Americas, these plants are well suited for growing in warm and humid climates or in a heated greenhouse, as I do.

Like orchids, staghorn ferns are epiphytic. That means they don't need soil to grow in. Instead, in their natural environment, they attach themselves to tree trunks, branches, or rocks and get their nutrition primarily from air and water.

The plant grows two very different types of fronds. Sterile fronds are flat and round and are located at the base of the plant. These start out green and fade to brown. Emerging from the basal fronds are long and leathery antler-like fertile fronds, which form reproductive spores on the underside. As a staghorn matures, it will grow offspring, each with its own sterile base frond and protruding fertile fronds.

This gigantic staghorn fern was a gift from my television crew about 10 years ago. It was a specimen that had been growing in an old greenhouse for about 80 years. The plants have been living all that time attached to an old ceramic drainpipe. About once a year, we'll do a cleaning to remove dried fronds and any decayed material. As you can see, at about 90 years of age, this fern is thriving and absolutely gorgeous!

This is a close-up of the fern, showing clearly the sterile fronds and new growth emerging:

Comments

[Kathy]

Martha,
Your staghorn fern is tremendous! Thanks for showing photographs of it and describing the plant. I first learned of these epiphytic ferns when I traveled to Southeast Asia. I saw them in humid Thailand and have been fascinated by them ever since.
Thanks again.
Kathy

[amy]

I now go to your blog every morning so I can make sure to learn something new every day. It's like a mind vitamin.

[Bloome]

Martha,
Thx for showing the picture and giving info about fern.!

[Katie]

Wow- Staghorn ferns are so fascinating! I always "visit" the specimen they have when I go to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania.

[Desiree']

Martha,
I also love ferns and I have two huge ones of my own in my backyard. I just love them! Thanks again for such an interesting post on your blog. I've been reading it everyday and am enjoying it very much!

[PAULINE MUCCIACCIO]

Hi Martha,
I enjoy ferns also. Based on the
appearance of the Staghorn, you wouldn't realize it was a fern, most people are familiar with the Boston & Maiden hair type ferns. Thanks for the vocabulary
lesson within the article epiphytic!
Pauline Mucciaccio

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, Thanks for the information about staghorn ferns. I too find it hard to believe that they are ferns. I am so used to the prevalent and prolific sword ferns, etc. that grow everywhere here in the Puget Sound area. I have dozens of them growing in my rockeries and have always taken them for granted. Thanks for helping me to have a new appreciation of these beautiful ferns. Thanks for sharing. Jan

[Emmy]

I had no idea ferns could live that long. Trees, yes, ferns? I learn something new here everyday.

[Kathy]

Martha,
As so many have said, you teach us something---or many things---each day. It is exciting to tune in or log in each day to see what is next. From one teacher to another, thanks!
Kathy

[Remi]

Thanks for showing the nice photos and given by the informations.

Thanks for the information about staghorn ferns.

[Amy]

Thanks for sharing about your incredible staghorn fern. I've had my now for about 10 years. We keep putting it into bigger and bigger hanging baskets.

I love your blog. It's my gift that I go into every day and check it out for the pure thrill and fun of it. Thank you!

[miriam neeson]

Dear Martha,
I have a staghorn fern that I've had since 1969. Sam, my fern, was stolen from our screen porch in Miami in 1975, and recovered that afternoon. (the punks who stole Sam, were captured early that morning while speeding in a van full of plants)
I moved to Atlanta a few weeks later, where Sam lived for 28 years. We since have moved to L.A., Lower Alabama, and Sam is happily residing here, and soon will have a permanent home, again, when our house is finished. He currently sits on an Adirondack chair, and not hanging properly. He will live until.... in beautiful Fairhope, AL.
The many moves and not having a greenhouse when it gets cold have taken a toll but Sam is still healthy for all it has been through. Good luck with yours! In that environment it will be the best for sure.
Miriam

[Barbara]

This is my first visit to your blog. I definately will be back. . I live in Florida, have quite a collection of staghorns, one that is about 35 years old. A friend gave me my first one and I was hooked. He also grew orchids and had many first prize ribbons.He said feed the staghorns bananna peels weekly and occasionally a whole bananna.

[Patricia]

Martha, I just have to say that you are so inspirational. You are a woman of great wealth and power, yet you seem like the woman next door. I love your style and the zest for life that you possess. Your fern is very beautiful and it reminded me of one that my mother had when I was very young. They have a very interesting history.

[Lori Stewart]

Wow! That is a beauty! Isn't it comforting to have a long-term "history" with a plant? It's like a dear old friend.

[Mickey]

Martha, you always have such interesting articles to read and see on your show. I tape it every day to view later on or to save. My brother who lives in Ocala has such a green thumb! He's into bonsai and has introduced his "big sisters" to the staghorn fern as well as many other varities of plants. Thanks again for the inspirational material you present! Mick

[Liz Hoffmann]

Mind vitamin? Even a sole vitamin I'd say. Thanks, Martha

[Tina]

what a splendid fern!And how amazing to have one that is nearly 100 years old..absolutely wonderful!
My father in law recently asked me to "baby sit" his staghorn fern for a few months. I made a habit of feeding it a few banana peels from time to time. It seemed to enjoy it..and my father in law was amazed to see that the plant had loads of new growth.
(and I was glad that I hadn't killed it..ha)I found that they really are quite easy to grow.
Funny thing is my father in law even named his fern.(once I found that fact out I was even more pleased that I had not killed the plant) can you imagine what it would have been like to tell him that by the way.."your plant named R.J. has kicked the bucket"? sheew.

[Janet]

Hi,
I am in South Florida and have quite a few staghorns, 2 of them have palm trees growing out of the middle and I'm afraid the roots of the palm may kill the palm, how should I take it out without destroying it. Thanks,
Janet

[Frank Nickels]

I grow staghorns on to west side of Los Angeles. I got my first one ca 1970. I've lost count of the number of plants I've propogated from "pups" from that first plant. After nearly 4 decades the original now weighs about 50 lbs. I can't imagine how a stag can last for 90 years & if it has, how large it must be!

[Frank Nickels]

I grow staghorns on the west side of Los Angeles. I bought my first satghorn ca 1970. I have lost count of the number of offspring I have propogated from "pups" over the years to be given away or kept. The original is now almost 4 decades old, has about 15 individual plants & weighs about 50 pounds. I can't imagine how a single plant could last for 90 years or how big it must be.

[Liza]

When I was a little girl growing up on Malaysia, I would walk home from school with my cousins and other kids from the neighborhood. We had to pass a stand of old trees much like a dirt road in the forest. There would be huge displays of staghorn ferns. My cousin often told tried to scare me (as I was younger) about ghosts and ghouls living in those ferns as they were indeed big enough for ghouls to hide out. We would scare ourselves silly and often run home screaming! Up to this day, whenever I see the staghorn fern in display in a nursery, I can still feel chills running up my spine!!