Dappled Sun
ORPartial Sun
Low
To water, damn the substrate the fern is growing on, and spritz with a water bottle.
This plant requires bright light but not direct sunlight. High humidity & winter temperatures from 55 to 66 F. Soil must be porous and humus rich.
Sufficient time must be allowed for the medium to dry out between waterings. Large overgrown ferns require less frequent watering. Generally water thoroughly one or two times per week during warm weather and reduce the frequency during cloudy or cool weather.2
Do not feed this fern during the winter months and keep it at a temperature of 15 degrees C or 59 F.4.
Spore can be sown in a warm humid environment.To collect the spores, place the part of a frond that is producing spores in a brown paper bag. Leave the frond in the bag until there is brown dust in the bag, which are the spores. Fill a plastic or terracotta pot with peat moss, and pour boiling water through the peat moss to sterilize it. Immediately place a glass or plastic sheet over the pot to keep it sterile. Once the peat moss has cooled down, spread the spores evenly over the surface of the peat moss, then immediately replace the glass or plastic sheet over the pot. Stand the bottom of the pot in an ice cream container with a shallow layer of water, and place the pot and container in a warm position receiving indirect sunlight. Once the spores have germinated, a green scum will initially appear over the surface of the peat moss. After a period of weeks to months, the fronds of the Elkhorn fern will begin to appear and the glass cover of the pot can be removed. Once the new plants have grown larger, they can be transferred to a tree trunk.
Ensure the elkhorn fern is kept moist when transplanted to allow the plant to establish quickly.
Staghorn ferns require an organic matter such as a loose, well-drained potting medium for proper cultivation. Sphagnum moss alone or as a mixture with other materials (bagasse, tree fern fiber, leaf mold) make an excellent medium for staghorn ferns. Staghorn ferns are well suited for mounting on cypress wood or tree fern fiber plaque or wire baskets.2
Staghorn fern is tender, so ensure you wait until all danger of frost has passed in your area before considering planting outside - as a guideline, the minimum temperature outside should be approximately -3°C / 27°F.To collect the spores, place the part of a frond that is producing spores in a brown paper bag. Leave the frond in the bag until there is brown dust in the bag, which are the spores.
These estimates for how long Staghorn fern takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average 5 days | Min 5 days | Max 5 days (1)
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Elkhorn fern, Antelope Ears
Alcicornium superbum