Mounting Staghorn and Other Ferns
Staghorn ferns are a group of about 18 species of epiphytic ferns in the genus Platycerium, native to Africa, Australia and Southeast Asia.
P. bifurcatum is the most commonly cultivated as an ornamental plant, since it is the easiest to grow. Native to rainforests of Java, New Guinea and southeastern Australia, it does best with year-round temperatures above 40°F, so it can only be grown in gardens with a very mild climate (zones 9 and above) or as a house plant that can be moved outdoors during the summer. It has naturalized in Florida and Hawaii, where it is considered an invasive species on the islands. Staghorn fern makes a great ornamental adornment for a wall indoors or seasonally outdoors in the Midwest.
As epiphytes, staghorn ferns do not grow in soil, but attach to trees when growing in nature. Small plants can be grown in containers with a rich and very well-drained medium. In indoor cultivation, staghorn ferns are typically grown mounted on wooden boards or bark slabs, in wire baskets, or on other supports that provide the essential perfect drainage. Some sort of growing medium – often sphagnum or peat moss – is provided for the roots coming from the fronds to grow into. The fern is secured to the support by fishing line, wire, plastic mesh or other materials wrapped over/through the dead, brown shield-shaped fronds (not over the soft, green fronds or they will be badly damaged or killed) to hold it in place until well established. As new basal fronds are produced, they will hide the fastening material as they grow over the old fronds.
Care
Growing without soil? Water whenever the moss or whatever medium you’re using dries out. It doesn’t need to stay consistently moist, but it’s really difficult to overwater a mounted plant since the water just runs right through. I know it probably feels weird to let a fern become so dry, but the thick leaves can store a lot of water, and the roots are prone to rot. If in doubt, water less often than you think you should. However, staghorns seem to do better with more water if it’s unchlorinated, so the risk of providing too much water is likely more of an issue related to chemically treated municipal water with too much chlorine rather than too much actual water. Rain water or reverse osmosis filtered water with a low pH is best. If you’re growing yours outside, be sure to bring the plant inside before temperatures drop below freezing, or as temperatures approach whatever limit your particular species can withstand.
Want to learn more and make you own to take home?
Take our Staghorn Fern Mounting Workshop!
When : Sunday September 10th 3-4:30 pm
Wednesday October 11th 6-7:30 pm
Where : Sense By The Falls 1749 C Front Street, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
