How to Grow Staghorn Fern? A Detailed Guide to Propagation Methods
Staghorn fern, also known as elkhorn fern, bat fern, and staghorn fern, is a plant in the genus Platycerium of the family Polypodiaceae. How do you grow staghorn fern? Let's take a look below at the propagation methods for staghorn fern.
How to Grow Staghorn Fern:
1. Soil selection as part of staghorn fern cultivation methods
Staghorn fern is an epiphytic plant, and the loam used for its cultivation is very different from the requirements of other potted plants. Staghorn fern is usually grown with a small amount of fern roots, moss, or leaf mold plus a small amount of decomposed dry cow dung as the growing medium, tied onto a section of wood with bark, or planted in flower pots, wooden frames, or in a pot made from a coconut shell, planted inside.
2. Temperature, humidity, and light as part of staghorn fern cultivation methods
The optimal growing temperature for staghorn fern is 18-30°C. It is intolerant of cold and frost, and the overwintering temperature is best kept above 10°C. When the ambient temperature approaches 0°C, the plant will suffer frost damage and die. Therefore, during cultivation, air convection should be strengthened in summer so that the internal temperature of the plant can dissipate, and misting can be used to cool it down. When growing in winter, attention should be paid to keeping it warm, and the staghorn fern plant can be wrapped in plastic film to overwinter.
Staghorn fern is afraid of direct sunlight and grows well near a bright indoor window. During cultivation, in summer it should be placed in a semi-shaded spot or with 50%-70% of sunlight blocked, and in winter it is more suitable to block about 30% of sunlight or place it in a bright indoor spot for care.
Staghorn fern likes a humid climate environment, and during cultivation the relative air humidity of the growing environment is required to be 60-75%. #p#Subheading#e#
3. Watering and fertilizing as part of staghorn fern cultivation methods
Staghorn fern has high requirements for fertilizer and water. Applying a small amount of liquid fertilizer during the growth period of staghorn fern can make it grow luxuriantly, but excessive fertilizing is not advisable. Fertilizing should follow the principle of light fertilizer applied frequently, and it is most taboo to apply concentrated fertilizer or to apply nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers in a one-sided way. During the peak growth season, fertilizing can be appropriately increased, while in winter fertilizing should be controlled.
Staghorn fern grows very luxuriantly in an environment with relatively high air humidity, and it also needs relatively little watering. Therefore, it is very suitable for greenhouse cultivation. Generally, the simplest watering method for indoor cultivation is to soak the whole plant in water once a week. On sunny days or during high temperatures, it should be watered appropriately more, while on rainy days or during low-temperature periods, watering should be reduced. Especially in summer when temperatures are relatively high, watering should be arranged as much as possible in the cooler morning, and the plant should also be misted frequently. In the cold winter season, water less, keep it appropriately dry, and arrange watering time as much as possible at midday on sunny days when temperatures are relatively high.
Propagation methods for staghorn fern:
The commonly used propagation method for staghorn fern is division propagation, and spore sowing propagation can also be used. Division propagation is best carried out in early spring (February and March) after the soil thaws. The main method is to cut young plants from the mature plant and plant them separately. When cutting, the shield-shaped sterile frond should be cut off together, and they should be planted in a medium mixed from Osmunda fiber, chopped sphagnum moss, crushed charcoal, and leaf mold or peat soil, and placed in a shaded and humid environment for cultivation. After they survive, transplant them into the planting holes of a wall-mounted planting board, referring to the wall-mounted cultivation method for bird's nest fern.
How to Grow Staghorn Fern: Propagation Methods for Staghorn Fern
Staghorn fern, also known as elkhorn fern, bat fern, and staghorn fern, is a plant in the genus Platycerium of the family Polypodiaceae. How do you grow staghorn fern? Let's take a look below at the propagation methods for staghorn fern.
How to Grow Staghorn Fern
1. Soil selection as part of staghorn fern cultivation methods
Staghorn fern is an epiphytic plant, and the loam used for its cultivation is very different from the requirements of other potted plants. Staghorn fern is usually grown with a small amount of fern roots, moss, or leaf mold plus a small amount of decomposed dry cow dung as the growing medium, tied onto a section of wood with bark, or planted in flower pots, wooden frames, or in a pot made from a coconut shell, planted inside.
2. Temperature, humidity, and light as part of staghorn fern cultivation methods
The optimal growing temperature for staghorn fern is 18-30°C. It is intolerant of cold and frost, and the overwintering temperature is best kept above 10°C. When the ambient temperature approaches 0°C, the plant will suffer frost damage and die. Therefore, during cultivation, air convection should be strengthened in summer so that the internal temperature of the plant can dissipate, and misting can be used to cool it down. When growing in winter, attention should be paid to keeping it warm, and the staghorn fern plant can be wrapped in plastic film to overwinter.
Staghorn fern is afraid of direct sunlight and grows well near a bright indoor window. During cultivation, in summer it should be placed in a semi-shaded spot or with 50%-70% of sunlight blocked, and in winter it is more suitable to block about 30% of sunlight or place it in a bright indoor spot for care.
Staghorn fern likes a humid climate environment, and during cultivation the relative air humidity of the growing environment is required to be 60-75%.
3. Watering and fertilizing as part of staghorn fern cultivation methods
Staghorn fern has high requirements for fertilizer and water. Applying a small amount of liquid fertilizer during the growth period of staghorn fern can make it grow luxuriantly, but excessive fertilizing is not advisable. Fertilizing should follow the principle of light fertilizer applied frequently, and it is most taboo to apply concentrated fertilizer or to apply nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers in a one-sided way. During the peak growth season, fertilizing can be appropriately increased, while in winter fertilizing should be controlled.
Staghorn fern grows very luxuriantly in an environment with relatively high air humidity, and it also needs relatively little watering. Therefore, it is very suitable for greenhouse cultivation. Generally, the simplest watering method for indoor cultivation is to soak the whole plant in water once a week. On sunny days or during high temperatures, it should be watered appropriately more, while on rainy days or during low-temperature periods, watering should be reduced. Especially in summer when temperatures are relatively high, watering should be arranged as much as possible in the cooler morning, and the plant should also be misted frequently. In the cold winter season, water less, keep it appropriately dry, and arrange watering time as much as possible at midday on sunny days when temperatures are relatively high.
Propagation Methods for Staghorn Fern
The commonly used propagation method for staghorn fern is division propagation, and spore sowing propagation can also be used. Division propagation is best carried out in early spring (February and March) after the soil thaws. The main method is to cut young plants from the mature plant and plant them separately. When cutting, the shield-shaped sterile frond should be cut off together, and they should be planted in a medium mixed from Osmunda fiber, chopped sphagnum moss, crushed charcoal, and leaf mold or peat soil, and placed in a shaded and humid environment for cultivation. After they survive, transplant them into the planting holes of a wall-mounted planting board, referring to the wall-mounted cultivation method for bird's nest fern.
Staghorn Fern Platycerium wallichii Hook. Staghorn Fern Illustrated Guide: How to Grow Staghorn Fern / How to Propagate Staghorn Fern
Staghorn Fern ProfileStaghorn Fern Platycerium wallichii Hook.
Cultivation Methods and Precautions for Staghorn Fern: An Introduction to Staghorn Fern
Staghorn fern (scientific name: Platycerium wallichii Hook.), also known as elkhorn fern, bat fern, and staghorn fern, is a plant in the genus Platycerium of the family Polypodiaceae. It is native to tropical regions such as eastern Australia and Polynesia, and is an epiphytic ornamental fern. Its spore-bearing fronds are very distinctive, shaped like sika deer antlers.
Staghorn fern is a perennial epiphytic herbaceous fern. The fronds are of two types. The basal fronds adhere to the tree trunk, and the fertile fronds fork 3-5 times irregularly into an antler shape.
The first type is the spore-bearing frond (fertile frond), which is large, extends into the air, forks, and resembles deer antlers, with fine hairs on the leaf surface. It can produce spores, and the sori are clustered on the back of the frond tips.
The second type is the nutrient frond (sterile frond), which is smaller, round, oval, or fan-shaped, varying by species, closely appressed to and overlapping on the attachment surface. When young it is tender green, later becoming papery light brown, and it has the function of storing nutrients and water.
A rare plant newly discovered to be distributed in China, it is found only in Yingjiang in southwestern Yunnan, growing in tropical rainforest at an altitude of 210-950 m, mostly epiphytic on tree trunks and branches. It is also distributed in the Indochina Peninsula and is a national second-class protected rare species.
Staghorn fern is a plant in the genus Platycerium of the family Polypodiaceae. Its main places of origin are tropical and subtropical regions, with about 17 species. They grow in tropical rainforests, using the decaying organic matter on the tree surface as nutrients, and hold onto the trees with hard and smooth fern fronds.
Although it is native to the hot tropical rainforest, it has strong adaptability. Staghorn fern in China has begun to enter the stage of development and utilization, and the prospects for its potted production are very broad.
It is a good material for indoor three-dimensional greening. If staghorn fern is attached to old dead wood or decorated in hanging pots, embellishing a study, living room, and windowsill, it adds even more natural scenic charm. Staghorn fern is relatively commonly cultivated in Europe and America, often used in hanging pots or basket stands for decorative viewing. Although its production volume cannot compare with flowering potted plants, it is easy to manage and has a long ornamental period, giving it a certain advantage.
Morphological Characteristics of Staghorn Fern
Staghorn fern is an epiphytic plant, and its main characteristics are as follows:
The rhizome is fleshy, short and horizontal, densely covered with scales; the scales are light brown or grayish white, dark brown in the middle, hard, linear, 10 mm long and 4 mm wide.
The fronds are in 2 rows and of two types; the basal sterile fronds (humus fronds) are persistent, thickly leathery, fleshy in the lower part, up to 1 cm thick, thin in the upper part, upright, sessile, appressed to the tree trunk, up to 40 cm long, nearly as long as wide, truncate at the apex, irregular, forking 3-5 times, the lobes nearly equal in length, rounded-obtuse or pointed, entire, the midrib raised on both sides, the veins inconspicuous, sparsely covered with stellate hairs on both sides, green at first, soon withering, brown.
The normal fertile fronds often grow in pairs, drooping, grayish green, 25-70 cm long.
They split into 3 main lobes of unequal size, wedge-shaped at the base, decurrent, nearly sessile; the inner lobe is the largest, forking many times into narrow lobes; the middle lobe is smaller; both are fertile; the outer lobe is the smallest and sterile; the lobes are entire, covered throughout with grayish white stellate hairs, and the veins are thick and prominent.
The sporangia are scattered below the sinus of the first fork of the main lobe, not reaching the base, green at first, later turning yellow; the paraphyses are grayish white, stellate hairs. The spores are green.
Ecological Habits of Staghorn Fern
Staghorn fern, also known as staghorn fern, likes a warm and shaded humid environment and is afraid of direct strong light, preferring diffused light. In winter the temperature should not be lower than 5°C, and loose leaf mold is suitable as the soil.
It exhibits alternation of generations, and both the sporophyte and gametophyte live independently.
The distribution area has a tropical monsoon climate, hot and rainy. The annual average temperature is 22.6°C, the January average temperature is 15--17°C, the extreme minimum temperature is not lower than 5°C, and the extreme maximum temperature is 39.5°C; the annual precipitation is about 2000 mm, and the relative humidity is not lower than 80%. It is often epiphytic on the trunks and branches of monsoon rainforest dominated by Chukrasia tabularis var. velutina (Wall.) King, Albizia chinensis (Osh.) Merr., and Ficus benjamina L., and can also be epiphytic on tree trunks or dead standing trees at forest edges and in open forests.
Staghorn fern uses humus fronds to accumulate fallen leaves, dust, and other materials as nutrients. When the rainy season begins, 2 new humus fronds and 2 fertile fronds each grow at the top of the short stem. The humus fronds of the previous year wither and rot in the current year, while the fertile fronds gradually dry up and fall off only in the spring of the following year.
Production Standards for Staghorn Fern Cultivation Techniques: 12 cm pot, height 10 cm, crown width about 30 cm, growth cycle 10 months.
Substrate Preparation: Use loose imported peat with good drainage and aeration in the 5-40 mm specification. Crush the peat and mix evenly with water (standard for adding water: after mixing with water, when a handful of peat is squeezed tightly, water seeps out from between the fingers). Then plant in cups. Each 9 cm pot uses about 250 ml of peat, and one 300-liter bag of imported peat can fill about 1200 cups.
Requirements for potting seedlings: Choose high-quality seedlings from professional production, with a seedling height of 5-6 cm, crown width of 6-8 cm, and 4-5 leaves, free of pests and diseases, dead leaves, and yellow leaves.
Potting: For reused old pots, they must be soaked in a 1000-fold potassium permanganate solution for more than half an hour, then rinsed with clean water and dried for use. Small potted plants are generally grown in pots with a diameter of 12 cm. When planting, first place about 2 cm of substrate at the bottom of the cup, then move the screened seedlings into the cup. Small seedlings should not be planted too deep, and it is best to keep them level with the base of the plant; the substrate should be moderately firm, filled to 9/10 of the cup, 2 plants/pot.
During the peak growth period in summer, more misting is needed to maintain a high-humidity environment. Whether grown in pots or hanging pots, place them in a semi-shaded spot to avoid strong sunlight exposure, and spray fertilizer water once every ten days. Every spring, replenish leaf mold and moss. At low temperatures in winter, water less. When the nutrient fronds of staghorn fern grow too densely, adjust them in combination with division propagation. In China, division propagation is generally used, and there is still no experience with spore propagation of this species. During cultivation, provide epiphytic substrate and humid mist conditions, and refer to the cultivation methods of other species in this genus.
The management of staghorn fern is relatively simple. During the peak growth period in summer, more watering is needed, along with frequent misting, to maintain relatively high air humidity in the cultivation environment, which is beneficial to the growth and development of the nutrient fronds and spore-bearing fronds. For outdoor care, it can be hung under a shade shed, and it is necessary to avoid intense sunlight to prevent the fronds from yellowing and scorching, which would affect the ornamental value of staghorn fern.
In order to increase the beauty of the fronds, during the growth period, spray diluted cake fertilizer water once every ten days or spray quick-acting dilute urea on the frond surface, keeping the fronds tender green and thick. Every year, replenish leaf mold or moss in the pot or basket of the formed staghorn fern to facilitate the growth and development of new sporophytes. In winter, it must be kept indoors. If the room temperature is relatively low, growth is slow, and watering should be reduced. Staghorn fern can overwinter more safely in a slightly dry state. When the nutrient fronds of staghorn fern grow too densely, adjust them in combination with division propagation, which is beneficial to the growth and development of new sporophytes.
Post-production handling: Staghorn fern is one of the most peculiar in posture among ornamental ferns, unique and delightful. It is also a precious and rare fine product among indoor foliage plants. In Europe and America, it is very popular for decoration and arrangement in parks, botanical gardens, shops, and home windowsills. If staghorn fern is produced in batches as hanging pots, it will not only bring joy to life but also bring relatively good economic benefits.
Cultivation Essentials
[Division time]: It is best carried out in early spring (February and March) after the soil thaws.
[Division method]: Take the mother plant out of the flower pot, shake off excess potting soil, separate the intertwined root system as much as possible, and cut it open into two or more plants with a sharp knife. Each divided plant must carry a considerable root system, and its fronds should be properly pruned to facilitate survival.
[Potting and disinfection]: Soak the divided small plants in a 1500-fold chlorothalonil solution for five minutes, then take them out and let them dry, and they can be potted. Alternatively, immediately after potting, drench the roots with chlorothalonil.
[Management after division]: After dividing and potting, drench the roots or water thoroughly once. Because its root system is greatly damaged and its water absorption capacity is very weak, it takes about 3-4 weeks to recover and sprout new roots. Therefore, within 3-4 weeks after division, watering should be controlled to avoid root rot. However, the transpiration of its fronds is not affected. In order to maintain the water balance of the fronds, the frond surface needs to be misted 1-3 times a day (mist more at high temperatures, mist less or not at all at low temperatures). Do not apply fertilizer during this period either. After division, also pay attention to excessively strong sunlight, and place it in a shade shed for care.
[Potting]: When potting small seedlings, first place coarse-grained substrate or ceramsite 2-2 cm thick at the bottom of the pot as a drainage layer, sprinkle a layer of fully decomposed organic fertilizer on top as base fertilizer, about 1-2 cm thick, then cover with a layer of substrate about 1-2 cm thick, and then place the plant in, so as to separate the fertilizer from the root system and avoid burning the roots.
For the substrate used in potting, one of the following can be chosen. Garden soil: cinder = 3:1; or garden soil: medium-coarse river sand: sawdust (mushroom residue) = 4:1:2; or one of paddy soil, pond mud, and leaf mold. Or peat + perlite + ceramsite = 2 parts + 2 parts + 1 part; garden soil + cinder = 3 parts + 1 part; peat + cinder + ceramsite = 2 parts + 2 parts + 1 part; sawdust + vermiculite + medium-coarse river sand = 2 parts + 2 parts + 1 part. After potting, water thoroughly once and place in a shaded environment for care.
[Humidity management]: It likes a humid climate environment, and the relative air humidity of the growing environment is required to be 60-75%.
[Temperature management]: The optimal growing temperature is 18°C-30°C. It is intolerant of cold and frost, and the overwintering temperature needs to be kept above 10°C. When the winter temperature drops below 4°C, it enters a dormant state. If the ambient temperature approaches 0°C, it will die from frost injury.
In summer:
1. Strengthen air convection so that the internal temperature of the plant can dissipate.
2. Place it in a semi-shaded spot, or provide it with 50% shade.
3. Mist it appropriately, 2-3 times a day.
In winter:
1. Move it to a bright indoor spot for care.
2. Outdoors, it can be wrapped in plastic film to overwinter, but every two days at midday when the temperature is relatively high, the film should be opened to let it breathe.
[Light management]: It is afraid of direct strong light and needs to be placed in a semi-shaded spot for care, or provided with 70% shade. If cared for indoors, place it in as bright a spot as possible, and every one or two months move it outdoors to a semi-shaded spot or provide shade for one month, so that it can accumulate nutrients and recover its growth.
[Fertilizer and water management]: It has high requirements for fertilizer and water, but it is most afraid of random fertilizing, concentrated fertilizer, and one-sided application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers. It is required to follow the fertilizing (watering) principle of "light fertilizer applied frequently, small amounts and many times, complete nutrition":
Spring, summer, and autumn are its peak growth seasons. Fertilizer and water management follows the cycle of "Hua Bao" - "Hua Bao" - clear water - "Hua Bao" - "Hua Bao" - clear water (at least two "Hua Bao" applications per week must be ensured). The interval period is about: 1-4 days for outdoor care, shorter on sunny days or during high temperatures, and longer or no watering on rainy days or during low temperatures; 2-6 days for indoor care, shorter on sunny days or during high temperatures, and longer or no watering on rainy days or during low temperatures. Arrange watering time as much as possible in the morning when the temperature is relatively low. In summer, water in the early morning or evening when the temperature is low, and also mist the plant frequently.
During the winter dormant period, the main task is to control fertilizer and water well. Fertilizer and water management follows the cycle of "Hua Bao" - clear water - clear water - "Hua Bao" - clear water - clear water, with an interval period of about 7-10 days, shorter on sunny days, and longer or no watering on rainy days. Arrange watering time as much as possible at midday on sunny days when the temperature is relatively high.
Containers for Staghorn Fern Cultivation Methods
Staghorn fern should be planted in a specially made pot (that is, several small round holes are drilled in the pot wall, each with a diameter of 3-5 cm). When planting, first fill the gaps of the holes in the pot wall and pot bottom with fresh palm bark, then put in leaf mold, brown peat soil, and slightly moist sawdust, then plant the plant into the pot, water thoroughly, and place in a cool spot. A small amount of fern roots, moss, or leaf mold plus decomposed cake fertilizer can also be used as the substrate, and the plant can be tied onto a section of stem with bark and hung in a shaded and humid place. After the plant resumes growth, hang it under a ceiling or on a bookshelf where diffused light can be seen. Try to avoid touching staghorn fern with your hands, otherwise the white fuzz on its frond surface easily falls off.
Water
During the peak growth season, water more and mist frequently to maintain relatively high air humidity. During the peak growth period in summer, more watering is needed, watering in the early morning or evening when the temperature is low, and frequent misting to maintain relatively high air humidity in the cultivation environment, which is beneficial to the growth and development of the nutrient fronds and spore-bearing fronds. At low temperatures in winter, water less to prevent root rot. Arrange watering time as much as possible at midday on sunny days when the temperature is relatively high.
Fertilizing
During the growth period, spray diluted cake fertilizer water once every ten days or spray quick-acting dilute urea on the frond surface, keeping the fronds tender green and thick. Every year, replenish leaf mold or moss in the pot or basket of the formed staghorn fern to facilitate the growth and development of new sporophytes. It is most afraid of random fertilizing, concentrated fertilizer, and one-sided application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers. It is required to follow the fertilizing (watering) principle of "light fertilizer applied frequently, small amounts and many times, complete nutrition."
Temperature
The optimal growing temperature is 18°C-30°C. It is intolerant of cold and frost, and the overwintering temperature needs to be kept above 10°C. When the winter temperature drops below 4°C, it enters a dormant state. If the ambient temperature approaches 0°C, it will die from frost injury.
Light
Staghorn fern is afraid of strong light exposure and should avoid direct strong light or dry wind. For outdoor care, it should be placed under tree shade or a shade shed, and attention should be paid to frequently misting the frond surface. For outdoor care, it can be hung under a shade shed, and intense sunlight should be avoided to prevent the fronds from yellowing and scorching, which would affect the ornamental value of staghorn fern. Every one or two months move it outdoors to a semi-shaded spot or provide shade for one month, so that it can accumulate nutrients and recover its growth.
Growing Environment
1. Planting pot
Staghorn fern should be planted in a specially made pot (that is, several small round holes are drilled in the pot wall, each with a diameter of 3-5 cm). When planting, first fill the gaps of the holes in the pot wall and pot bottom with fresh palm bark, then put in leaf mold, brown peat soil, and slightly moist sawdust, then plant the plant into the pot, water thoroughly, and place in a cool spot. A small amount of fern roots, moss, or leaf mold plus decomposed cake fertilizer can also be used as the substrate, and the plant can be tied onto a section of stem with bark and hung in a shaded and humid place. After the plant resumes growth, hang it under a ceiling or on a bookshelf where diffused light can be seen. Try to avoid touching staghorn fern with your hands, otherwise the white fuzz on its frond surface easily falls off.
2. Fertilizer and water
During the peak growth season, water more and mist frequently to maintain relatively high air humidity. Apply dilute cake fertilizer water or a mixed nitrogen-potassium chemical fertilizer 1-2 times a month. In winter, control the amount of watering.
3. Temperature
The suitable growing temperature is 10-15°C at night and 20-25°C during the day. During the day it can also grow well in a 33-35°C environment, but the humidity must be very high. In its place of origin, staghorn fern can sometimes resist low temperatures of a few degrees below zero without being harmed, but only in a very dry environment.
4. Light
Staghorn fern is afraid of strong light exposure and should avoid direct strong light or dry wind. For outdoor care, it should be placed under tree shade or a shade shed, and attention should be paid to frequently misting the frond surface. It grows well near a bright indoor window. When cultivated in a greenhouse, in summer 50%-70% of sunlight should be blocked, and in winter blocking about 30% is more suitable. Although staghorn fern also has a relatively strong ability to adapt to weak light, when light is insufficient, growth is slow and the plant is frail.
Propagation Methods for Staghorn Fern
Commonly used division propagation
Division in June-July is most suitable. Select robust staghorn fern offsets from the mother plant, gently cut along the bottom of the shield-shaped nutrient frond with a sharp knife, plant them in a pot with their absorbing roots, cover with moss, and mist to keep moist.
Division time: It is best carried out in early spring (February and March) after the soil thaws.
Division method: Take the mother plant out of the flower pot, shake off excess potting soil, separate the intertwined root system as much as possible, and cut it open into two or more plants with a sharp knife. Each divided plant must carry a considerable root system, and its fronds should be properly pruned to facilitate survival.
Potting and disinfection: Soak the divided small plants in a 1500-fold chlorothalonil solution for five minutes, then take them out and let them dry, and they can be potted. Alternatively, immediately after potting, drench the roots with chlorothalonil.
Management after division: After dividing and potting, drench the roots or water thoroughly once. Because its root system is greatly damaged and its water absorption capacity is very weak, it takes about 3-4 weeks to recover and sprout new roots. Therefore, within 3-4 weeks after division, watering should be controlled to avoid root rot. However, the transpiration of its fronds is not affected. In order to maintain the water balance of the fronds, the frond surface needs to be misted 1-3 times a day (mist more at high temperatures, mist less or not at all at low temperatures). Do not apply fertilizer during this period either. After division, also pay attention to excessively strong sunlight, and place it in a shade shed for care.
Pest and Disease Control for Staghorn Fern
Leaf spot disease commonly harms the spore-bearing fronds, and it can be controlled by spraying a 600-fold 65% zineb wettable powder solution. When ventilation is poor, scale insects and whiteflies harm the spore-bearing fronds or nutrient fronds. When few, they can be caught by hand or killed by spraying a 1000-fold 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate solution. Some staghorn ferns are relatively susceptible to fungal or bacterial diseases, so attention should be paid to adjusting the ventilation environment and not watering excessively.
Distribution Region of Staghorn Fern
It is produced in Nabangba, Yingjiang County, southwestern Yunnan, in mountain rainforest at an altitude of 210-950 meters. It is also distributed in Myanmar, northeastern India, and Thailand.
The distribution area has a tropical monsoon climate, hot and rainy. The annual average temperature is 22.6°C, the January average temperature is 15--17°C, the extreme minimum temperature is not lower than 5°C, and the extreme maximum temperature is 39.5°C; the annual precipitation is about 2000 mm, and the relative humidity is not lower than 80%. It is often epiphytic on the trunks and branches of monsoon rainforest dominated by Chukrasia tabularis var. velutina (Wall.) King, Albizia chinensis (Osh.) Merr., and Ficus benjamina L., and can also be epiphytic on tree trunks or dead standing trees at forest edges and in open forests. Staghorn fern uses humus fronds to accumulate fallen leaves, dust, and other materials as nutrients. When the rainy season begins, 2 new humus fronds and 2 fertile fronds each grow at the top of the short stem. The humus fronds of the previous year wither and rot in the current year, while the fertile fronds gradually dry up and fall off only in the spring of the following year.
A newly recorded plant discovered in Yunnan, China, with an extremely narrow distribution area, it is an epiphytic plant in tropical monsoon rainforest. Due to severe forest destruction, the host trees it grows on are often destroyed by axes and knives, the ecosystem is disrupted, and staghorn fern is therefore difficult to survive. Lower altitude limit of growth (m): 210, upper altitude limit (m): 950.
Nabangba in Yingjiang, Yunnan, has been planned as a nature reserve, and a protection agency should be established quickly to carry out work. A small number of plants have been transplanted from the production area to the dead-wood grove in the greenhouse of the Kunming Botanical Garden, where they have survived cultivation and are growing normally. The Tropical Botanical Garden of the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, introduced them to Menglun, Xishuangbanna, for cultivation, and they also grew well.
Variety Classification of Staghorn Fern
The plant height is 40 cm, the fronds are clustered and drooping, the young fronds are grayish green, and the mature fronds are dark green, with the apex forking into a concave deep sinus, the frond surface densely covered with short miscellaneous hairs, and sori borne on the back of the fronds. Its cultivated varieties include Netherlands, San Diego, Robert, and Ziesenhenne, etc.
There are as many as 16 species of staghorn fern naturally distributed worldwide, mainly growing wild in the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America. They all have extremely high ornamental value, mainly including:
American staghorn fern (P. andinum), also called Andean staghorn fern. Native to Peru and Bolivia. The spore-bearing fronds are densely covered with fine white hairs on the surface, and the fronds reach up to 3 m long, very spectacular.
Angolan staghorn fern (P. angolense), also called African staghorn fern, distributed in Uganda, Zaire and Nigeria in Africa. The spore-bearing fronds are large, shaped like elephant ears, and the sterile fronds are fan-shaped.
Kidney-shaped staghorn fern (P. ellisii), the spore-bearing fronds grow upright, and the sterile fronds are kidney-shaped.
Madagascar staghorn fern (P. madagascariense), the sterile fronds arch with deep folds, have obvious veins, and are shaped like a honeycomb.
Triangle-leaved staghorn fern (P. stemaria), the whole plant is grayish green, the spore-bearing fronds and sterile fronds grow upward, and the sterile fronds are oblong with wavy tips. The spore-bearing fronds have 2 parts, one forked and wedge-shaped, and the other relatively small and narrow.
Vasse staghorn fern (P. vassei), the sterile fronds are brown and nest-shaped, and the sporangia are arranged in a V shape on the back of the fronds.
Large staghorn fern (P. grande), the sterile fronds are huge, the pale green spore-bearing fronds droop, reaching up to 1.5 m, and only a 20-year-old mother plant can produce spores.
Hard-leaved staghorn fern (P. hillii), the spore-bearing fronds are dark green, hard in texture, and grow upright in a fan shape.
Silver-leaved staghorn fern (P. veitchii), the spore-bearing fronds are covered with fine white hairs and grow upright.
Crowned staghorn fern (P. coronarium), the whole plant is pale green, the shield-shaped sterile fronds are 50 cm long and 50 cm wide, and the spore-bearing fronds droop, reaching up to 4 m.
Wallich staghorn fern (P. wallichii), the yellow-green spore-bearing fronds are broad, thick in texture, and graceful in form, a rare small species.
Queen staghorn fern (P. wilhelminae-reginae), the sterile fronds are crown-shaped and grow upward, 1.5 m tall, and the spore-bearing fronds droop, 2 m long, a large species.
Willinck staghorn fern (P. willinckii), dark green sterile fronds and spore-bearing fronds covered with silvery short pubescence, growing downward, 70 cm long, deeply lobed and ribbon-like. The wide variety of staghorn ferns provides abundant germplasm material for decorating indoor green spaces.
Staghorn fern pictures