Light
Bright indirect light; gentle morning sun is useful but avoid harsh summer midday sun.
Learn how to care for your green friend
Staghorn Fern
Platycerium bifurcatum
Ferns · Planned variety
Meet your green friend.
Staghorn Fern has green antler-like fertile fronds above rounded shield fronds. Its epiphytic habit calls for air around roots rather than heavy waterlogged soil.
Why you’ll love it
- Antler-like fronds form a distinctive branching outline.
- A mounted specimen can decorate vertical display space.
A space where it can thrive
Grow year-round in a warm Metro Vancouver home, near suitable daylight and away from cold window glass, exterior-door drafts and heating vents.
Ask about availabilityAvailability, size, pot and price will be confirmed in store. Pictures illustrate the plant type.
Indoor hanging plant
Growing in a hanging basket
Use a moss-lined basket with an airy epiphyte mix and bright filtered light. Drain thoroughly after soaking; retain the natural brown shield fronds.
Use a container with drainage and a secure support rated for its fully watered weight. Check moisture at the root ball and empty collected drainage water.
Studio basket illustration. Colours, growth, basket size and availability vary.
Hanging basket care referenceBrowse hanging basket plants
Your care routine
Watering
Soak the root pad when it approaches dryness, then drain fully; mounted plants may dry faster than pots.
Soil & drainage
Mount on bark with a small moisture-retaining pad or use a very airy epiphytic mix; do not bury the shield fronds.
Fertilizer
Use a complete liquid houseplant fertilizer about monthly while actively growing in spring and summer, at the product label rate. Pause in dim winter conditions or whenever growth stops; do not feed a dry or stressed plant.
Temperature
Aim for 18–26°C indoors; protect from sudden temperature changes and cold drafts.
Humidity
Prefer moderate humid air around 50–60% with good circulation.
Through the seasons
Leave brown shield fronds in place; they protect the roots. Reduce soaking frequency in darker winter conditions and maintain airflow.
When your plant needs help
- Shrivelled growth can signal dry roots, but check for rot before watering again.
- Mealybugs often shelter between stem joints or leaf bases.
Pets & little ones
ASPCA lists this plant as non-toxic to cats and dogs. It is not food: chewing any plant may cause stomach upset, so discourage pets and children from eating it.
Grow with your neighbourhood store.
Independent, family-owned and right here in Uptown New Westminster. Browse before your visit and keep this guide handy at home.
Visit The Golden BazaarCare references
Guidance is a starting point. Adjust watering to your plant, pot, light and season; follow fertilizer labels and check outdoor cultivar hardiness.