Staghorn ferns

[Kittyzee]

Check out the magnificent staghorn ferns at the conservatory!  I was in awe, (I'm kind of a geek about staghorns) and have killed more than I have had success with.  My current one I moved into the bathroom for the extra humidity.  Mine did wonderfully this summer hanging outside under a tree.  It takes much more moisture than what I first thought so I have been giving it more to drink and it's looking much better.  If I can only keep it alive to get it outside for the summer.....

Those brown papery fronds are a natural part of the staghorn.  They start out pale green and steadily turn brown.  I thought my fern was dying and started to pick them off.. until I did some research and found that the fern lives off those fronds along with the nutrients in the air and water.

[Esther]

Lookin' good. Many years ago I visited a greenhouse that might have been built by Noah. Stuff was growing all over the place in nooks and crannies. Hanging from the overhead pipes were immense Staghorn ferns. They had put posts under them to keep the weight of the fern from wrecking the pipes.

[miguynmkoi]

I love Staghorn Ferns too!  I see so many hanging on walls they size of a big tree or on many displays of flowers.  Why don't mine get big?  Mine stay outside under my nectarine tree year-round.  I hope they will be fine after this winter though, as it got very rainy and cold here.  Same goes for my cactus and succulents    At least they all are planted in fast draining soils.

[Kittyzee]

Annette, I don't think some cool weather hurts them much.  The one pic I took of the fern it had attached itself to a rock!  And that room was quite chilly!  I think they LOVE moist conditions, so anytime you can mist it the better.  Mine did so well in our hot humid summer, and it hung under a tree where my hose is attached to the hydrant.  I would mist it even a couple of times a day and it just kept putting up fronds like crazy.  They do need well draining hangers, to keep them from getting too soggy.

[Mikey]

Staghorns are also a favorite of mine.  A few years ago neighbor wanted to give me his huge staghorn fern but he said the darn thing weighed about 100lbs and I didn't have an appropriate branch or location that could handle that kind of weight.....     I have a small staghorn growing on my giant bird of paradise and a mister affixed to the BOP keeps it happy.

[Kittyzee]

I'd love to see a pic!!   

[karen J]

I wish I could grow them! I've killed every one I've ever owned. Yours is really looking good!

Whenever I see pictures like this I want to try again, so I go to a terrific local nursery and buy one. Then I kill it.

[Mikey]

Here's my neighbor's staghorn fern.  I believe he originally put it in a wire basket.  The base of the plant is roughly 3' wide.  A steel chain is wrapped around a branch and attached to the plant.




Here is my little staghorn attached to a giant BOP.  Our tulip magnolia is just begining to bloom.

[Kittyzee]

  at Mikey's staghorn pics!  Makes my little staghorn look pathetic.  I'm trying, but it just doesn't like my dry, home environment.  If I could get DH to build a room for orchids and ferns.....    My air plants are doing good, I'm misting them more since it's so dry inside...there were many of them in the conservatory too...