Ferns in the house
Ferns can enhance your living space by looking calm and relaxing and providing all-year interest and enjoyment. Their soft, green foliage is pleasing to the eye and may help in purifying the air and improving the atmosphere. Growing indoor and tropical ferns is a rewarding hobby. One fern can often lead to another fern, and very soon you will start to build a collection.
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Light
Ferns do best in a place that is light but out of direct sunlight, which can burn the fronds. They will not grow well in deep shade but will tolerate artificial lighting, usually by LEDs. To maintain their unusual colour, silver and grey ferns need more light than those that are green.
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Watering
In general, ferns require damp but not wet conditions. Regular watering and free drainage are ideal, and ferns do not like to sit in a saucer of water. Some epiphytic ferns need to dry out between waterings. Ideally, rainwater or condensed water should be used if the tap water is ‘hard’.
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Compost
The compost for most indoor ferns should be light and free-draining. Chipped bark can be added to lighten the compost further, especially for epiphytic ferns. Some garden loam can be added to the mix, as can some horticultural grit. These give the compost more weight and help the stability of the fern.
Choice Ferns
Here is our selection of ferns that do well in the home. These ferns are usually available in garden centres and supermarkets throughout the year. You may also find interesting cultivars and varieties of these species for sale. Many of these ferns are epiphytes, meaning they grow on trees in the wild and have characteristics allowing them to tolerate the drier conditions of the home.
Boston Fern
Nephrolepis exaltata
A lush, quick-growing fern happy in most rooms in the home. Likes brighter conditions and a consistent watering regime. It doesn't like getting too dry. A variety of cultivars are available in supermarkets and garden centres.
Blue Star Fern
Phlebodium aureum
A very robust fern for the home that can withstand drier conditions. It is quite slow-growing but can reach very large proportions, with fronds approaching 100 cm long. As it matures, the frond shape can change.
White Rabbit’s Foot Fern
Davallia griffithiana
A quirky fern that has a variety of common names that reference its hairy rhizomes. These rhizomes can create an interesting hanging-basket display in the home or gradually creep over the sides of the pot.
Snake Leaf Fern
Drynaria coronans
This fern has become more readily available in garden centres. Be warned, this fern can get enormous. It looks best in a hanging basket and given plenty of space to grow.
Maidenhair Fern
Adiantum raddianum
Not the easiest fern to grow in the home. However, in a cooler room and with a very consistent watering routine, this fern can thrive. To maintain its appearance, carefully remove old dry fronds as new fronds appear.
Staghorn Fern
Platycerium bifurcatum
The easiest species of staghorn-type ferns to grow, requiring bright light and space. It needs to be mounted on a plaque or grown in a hanging basket with excellent drainage. It doesn't grow well in a plastic pot for any length of time.
Caring for your ferns in your home.
Indoor ferns include those which are happy living in homes, greenhouses and hothouses. Specialised humid and wetter environments can be created using terrariums and aquariums. In the home, the conditions which most ferns need are indirect light, regular watering and moderate heat. Avoid putting ferns on shelves where hot air is rising from radiators. Most homes are low-humidity, and regular spraying of the fern with water will be of benefit. Another way to increase humidity around a fern is to place it on a tray of damp grit or clay balls. Equally, growing several ferns together will create a humid microenvironment for them if there are no draughts.
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Ferns like their growing conditions to be consistent. Conservatories that are heated during the day but drop to a few degrees on a winterʼs night will not suit indoor ferns. Nor will dark bathrooms, that are only lit briefly, suit ferns that are used to constant high light levels, such as staghorn ferns.
As a general rule, it is not a good idea to move a fern if it has been growing well in a particular location. The frondsʼ physiology will adapt to the specific environmental conditions over time. It is not uncommon for a plant to lose fronds, even completely defoliate, when it is moved, as the new conditions may not suit the existing foliage. It can then take a lot of energy for the fern to replace its fronds. So only move established plants if necessary and after you have considered the risks.
Collections
Developing and maintaing a fern collection. How to safeguard your collection for the future.