Having Fun With Ferns

I am not sure if #FernFriday is a thing…but it absolutely should be.

No plant can ever spell “Tropical Lush” like ferns do.

They remind us of wild, untamed rainforests, filled with overgrown foliage, towering tree trunks and the urge to run barefoot through them. A sort of permanent springtime in a mystical garden where we can forever remain youthful and free.

Used in indoor settings, ferns embrace us with peaceful zen energy and are instantaneously capable to transforming any living space into a calming meditation sanctuary.

There are many types of ferns you can grow , some come from tropical and subtropical regions, others even from cold areas of the world giving us a huge range of uniquely shaped leaves that can add so many textures and hues to our indoor jungles.

If you are thinking about growing ferns and you are looking for some good ideas to choose the best fern varieties to grow indoors or outdoors, here is a list of some of the most sunning varieties of ferns you should consider.

A fern is a class of plants that reproduce via spores, not flowers nor seeds. While botanists are still bickering about the classification of these plants, most would agree that they belong to the Petridophytes division.

Still, gardeners, garden centers and retailers will call “ferns” even plants that are not technically so, like the asparagus fern (Asparagus aethiopicus), which has flowers and does not produce spores.

So, in gardening terms, defining a fern has more to do with the appearance, shape, look and presence of a plant than with its actual scientific group.

Still, many ferns come from tropical regions, and, as you know, tropical plants often have an original, exotic appearance.

Having said this, many also come from temperate regions, and these are very suitable outdoors if winters are cold.

Ferns are mainly appreciated for their foliage; many are evergreens, which makes them excellent to keep some foliage and green when other leaves fall, especially in winter.

Many ferns are very adaptable to dappled shade, even full shade, and they provide an excellent backdrop for flowers.

Indoors ferns are often used to bring a touch of “exotic permanence”. Because they look immutable, often being green and lush all year round, a fern on your desk or by your sofa will tend to bring a sense of peace matched only by the sculptural qualities of the fern itself you have chosen.

But if you think that all ferns look the same, think again!

1- Hart’s Tongue Fern (Asplenium Scolipendrium)

If the exotic look of the foliage is what you are after, you can have it even in temperate zones with the amazing hart’s tongue fern variety.

The leaves, in fact, are bright, light green, very glossy and exotic looking. They form a beautiful rosette with their arching leaves, which are not divided or frilled, but look like little snaps or tongues.

When the spores form, the underside of this fern’s leaves becomes brownish, which actually adds to its decorative value.

It will bring a tropical mood to any terrace or patio, where you can easily grow it in containers, but also in beds and borders and, if you fancy a large and lush “Paleolithic meadow”, this outdoor fern can also be used as ground cover.

Despite its exotic appearance is is cold hardy, and this variety too won the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Exposure: partial shade or full shade.

Height: 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 cm).

Hardiness: it is hardy to USDA zones 5 to 9.

Soil needs: it adapts to most types of soil, as long as you keep it moist and it is well drained. In fact, it grows in alkaline or neutral soil (not acidic), be it loam, clay, chalk or sandy soil.

2 -Staghorn Fern (Platycerium Spp.)

The name of this Fern says it all: its fronds look like the horns of deer, and they eradicate from a central point, making this fern variety perfect for hanging baskets and similar containers.

It is, of course, a tropical fern, with an incredibly showy appearance, a perfect centerpiece for a patio, terrace, or as an indoor plant.

Its dropping fronds that look like kelp to some, glossy and bright green, can lift any place with their unmissable presence.

It grows naturally on tree trunks, it’s an epiphyte; this means that it will absorb both humidity and nutrients directly from the air, and for this reason, you can even fit it into a small crevice or hole on a tree or on a decorative wood post. Flotsam is excellent for compositions with staghorn ferns.

Alternatively, you can use it in compositions with other tropical, or at least very sculptural plants, like banana plants, palms, bromeliads, anthuriums etc. And if you fancy a rock garden with an exotic feel, a staghorn fern will not look out of place.

Exposure: if you grow it indoors, give it plenty of bright light but no direct sunlight, or its leaves will burn. Even outdoors avoid direct sunlight, especially at noon. A place in filtered light or even shade will be good for this plant.

Height: it will grow to about 3 feet, or 90 cm.

Hardiness: staghorn is hardy to USDA zones 8 and above.

Soil needs: it does not actually require any soil, as it is an epiphyte. You can mount it straight onto a tree or log, using natural glue or loose straps to fix it. If you want it in a pot, use a good, inert growing medium, like wood bark or expanded clay pellets.

3- Boston Fern

Boston ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata), with their arching branches, are perfect for hanging baskets on porches. But keep them out of direct sun, which can scorch them. They need a cool location and indirect light. They also require high humidity if they’re grown as houseplants, so mist them a couple of times each week. Don’t let their soil dry out and feed them with a houseplant fertilizer at half-strength while they're actively growing, from spring to fall. If your fern drops a lot of its foliage while overwintering indoors, cut it back and it will regrow. Left outside, Boston ferns are evergreens in Zones 9-11.

4- Maiden Hair Fern

Maidenhair ferns are the perfect choice to brighten shady spots in the garden with their fan-shaped fronds held on shiny, black stems.

They are beautiful perennials that thrive outdoors in full to partial shade and moist, well-draining soil rich in organic matter. They’re more demanding when grown indoors, as they dislike the dry air in most homes. To enjoy them as houseplants, mist them daily, put their pots on top of some pebbles in a tray with a little water, or keep them near a kitchen sink.

They'll need a location with indirect morning or afternoon sunlight.

5- Birds Nest Fern

Native to tropical regions such as southeast Asia, Australia, east Africa and Hawaii to name a few, Bird’s Nest Ferns (Asplenium Nidus) are typically found in palm trees.

With the right conditions , they will thrive and make for a wonderfully unique houseplant.

The Bird’s Nest Fern has large simple fronds that are tropical-like in that they resemble banana leaves. Their fronds are light green, often wavy, and rise from a central rosette. The rosette is fuzzy where the emerging fronds resemble bird’s eggs - hence the common name.

They need medium to bright indirect light, but can tolerate low indirect light and prefer high humidity and average home temperature of 65°F-75°F.

6- Lemon Button Fern

This is the smallest of the Boston ferns. It is cute and compact, its itty bitty lime green button-like leaflets grow on dark green, arching stems that reach just a foot high.

It makes a great houseplant and does very well in terrariums . Not to mention the unique lemony scent of its the leaves.

This plants likes mild temperatures, regular watering and bright indirect light.

7- Rabbit’s Foot Fern

The roots of rabbit's foot ferns (are fuzzy rhizomes, which climb right over the edges of containers and resemble the soft feet of rabbits. ( The first time I saw one actually I thought of a monstrous spider not a rabbit’s foot and kinda freaked out…)

In the wild the rhizomes help attach the plants to trees. These ferns can be grown as attractive houseplants that will grow to about 18" tall and 20" wide.

They need bright, indirect sunlight and should be kept slightly moist. Mist the rhizomes as needed to keep them from drying out, and don't cover them with soil, which leads to rotting.

Feed with a liquid houseplant fertilizer at half-strength every couple of weeks.

8- Ostrich Fern -Fiddlehead Fern

Perennial ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) are easy to grow, happy in moist or wet soil that is slightly acidic. Plant yours in full to part shade and give them plenty of room; they spread underground via rhizomes and grow 3' to 6' wide.

Even their upright fronds can reach 4' to 6' tall. Hardy in Zones 2-7, the plants do best where the summers are cool.

To grow them indoors, keep them moist, water and mist them regularly, and give them indirect light. These deciduous ferns may go dormant during the winter when they’re grown as houseplants.

Photo by : Noémi Macavei-Katócz

You can continue on the #FoliageFriday train by checking out other amazing plants that would make amazing companion to ferns such as the Philodendron Birkin or perhaps the Dracaena Reflexa