Boston Fern

The Boston fern is the most popular of all ferns grown indoors and has been found to be one of the easiest to care for and maintain.

Compared to most other ferns your going to find this plant a lot easier to care for in regards to light, humidity levels and propagating (see care instructions below).

Description

Some ferns can only be grown in terrariums and others will not recover from neglect…..unlike this species that can be brought back from what looks like near death.

It is said that this species is a malformation from the Nephrolepis genus that became very popular after being discovered in 1894 within a batch of the original N. exaltata ferns (common name: Sword fern). The Boston displays graceful fronds (leaves) that arch over much more than it’s parent plant, so it’s abnormalities have become an advantage (in the eyes of plant growers). The Sword fern has very stiff and upright fronds.

Compared to most other ferns your going to find this plant a lot easier to care for in regards to light, humidity levels and propagating (see care instructions below). Some ferns can only be grown in terrariums and others will not recover from neglect…..unlike this species that can be brought back from what looks like near death.

How it looks: As mentioned above the fronds on the Boston fern arch over and grow up to about 3 ft long. The fronds are made up of a tough leaf stalk, pinnate leaflets and a rachis (leaf stalk), but in layman’s terms it’s a kind of long stalk with lots of small leaves on it, side-by-side….or you could say they have a large feather like appearance.

Displaying: How you display your plant will depend on it’s size. The Boston fern is placed in a hanging basket mostly when it’s fronds are over a foot or so long, allowing the fronds to arch over and hang boldly. Another great way to display a mature plant is to place it potted on a pedestal stand allowing the fronds to hang. A small plant can be placed near a windowsill in a normal pot.

Bathrooms are an ideal location to place this fern. this is because of the higher humidity levels provided from the water and condensation within the bathroom (a big bathroom though if the plant is mature). Conservatories with this plant planted in a hanging basket is another option and they look great, however, a grower must make sure there is not too much direct sunlight within the conservatory.

Overwintering: I will briefly mention something about overwintering that applies to those who keep their fern outside during the warmer months. If you own or your going to buy a Boston fern and live in a temperate region, you can place the plant outside within a porch, balcony or patio when temperatures are above 50ºF/10ºC….then bring it back indoors when the temperature goes down to near 50ºF/10ºC . Frost or temperatures below 40ºF/4ºC can kill the plant or make it look dead (loss of foliage) until the following growing season.

When it gets too cold this plant will go into a kind of dormancy period until conditions become correct. However, if the right conditions are provided, such as high humidity, enough indirect sunlight and warm enough temperatures, the Boston fern will be fine when taken back indoors. Many of them do lose leaves once they are brought inside, which is of no major concern…..just keep providing the right care and conditions.

Facts

Boston Fern Care

TIP! Add one or two tablespoons of epson salts to a gallon of water and use every six months to improve leaf color (much greener I say).

Potential Problems

• Leaflet tips brown: If it’s only the tips that are brown the problem is most likely due to humidity being low. Examine the small leaflets and if they have brown or yellow edges there could be a number of causes including, over or under watering, too much or too little light or overfeeding. You will need to look at the care instructions (see above) and eliminate what your doing correctly to find the possible cause and then apply all instructions more strictly.
• Leaves falling: This happens quite often when a new plant is bought and is mainly due to a rapid change in conditions that puts the plant into shock when it’s taken home. The fern should recover when all the correct conditions are applied and it adjusts itself to it’s new environment. If it’s a plant you’ve had for while, see if there has been any big changes in temperature or light conditions. Also see overwintering above if you have brought your plant indoors from outside and leaves fall.
• Plant lacking growth: Lack of growth on a plant that has been brought into a new environment is common for the Boston fern. Lacking fertilizer can also slow growth down.

Elyssa Goins

Elyssa Goins is an experienced house plant hobbyist who maintains over a hundred plants. She is a gardener, beekeeper, and a proud mother of four.  She is a member of the American Horticultural Society, has a published study in the National Social Science Association, and loves to talk about her love of plants.  For the past twenty years, she’s been all about growing and caring for various fruits, veggies, herbs, livestock, kids, and houseplants. Managing a big garden to feed four growing kids and raising dairy goats has taught her so much about being an excellent plant parent and now is her time to share with you.