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4.3 out of 5 (174 experiences)


About Bird's Nest Fern
Bird's Nest Fern is a super popular houseplant 🌿 that is isn’t challenging to grow and needs lots of water to thrive. They do best in moderate sunlight 🌤 and should be less than 6 feet from a window.
Plant parents describe this plant as being a survivor and having large, lush leaves with a whopping 6560 being grown with Greg around the world. Check out the reviews below for more details!🌟
Bird's Nest Fern likes soil that is good at retaining moisture. Your plant shouldn't need added fertilizers if you repot each time it doubles in size.
Taxonomy
Asplenium nidus
Asplenium
Aspleniaceae
Polypodiales
Also known as
Nest Fern, Victoria Bird's Nest Fern, Asplenium antiquum and Crispy Wave Fern

How to care for Bird's Nest Fern

How often to water your Bird's Nest Fern

every 7
Bird's Nest Fern needs 0.5 cups of water every 7 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
7

Check the growing potential in your area
A plant's growing potential is determined from its location, the time of year, and current local weather.

Select a city to check sunlight intensity

Finding light for Bird's Nest Fern in your home

a window
Bird's Nest Fern can tolerate being far from a window and light source.
Place it less than 6 feet from a south-facing window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Bird's Nest Fern in your home 🏡.

How to fertilize Bird's Nest Fern

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Bird's Nest Fern after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Bird's Nest Fern is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!
Water Needs
Bird's Nest Fern is sensitive to dry soil and should be watered frequently. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Sunlight Needs
Bird's Nest Fern can tolerate being far from a window and light source. Place it less than 6 feet from a south-facing window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.
Toxicity
Bird's Nest Fern is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.
Humidity
Bird's Nest Fern enjoys lots of humidity. Provide humidity for your plant by watering regularly and thoroughly, since plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves. They may also benefit from being placed next to a humidifier.
Soil
Bird's Nest Fern is very sensitive to dry soil, so choose a potting soil that retains moisture. A good soil will still drain well and contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir or sphagnum moss.
Fertilizer
Bird's Nest Fern grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!
Native Region
Bird's Nest Fern is native to Worldwide.
Flowers
Bird's Nest Fern does not flower.
Growth Pattern
Bird's Nest Fern is a clumping plant, meaning new growth will emerge from the soil around the parent plant.
Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Bird's Nest Fern can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 11a-12b. Find your local hardiness zone here.
Propagation
Bird's Nest Fern can be propagated by division into new individual plants.
- Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
- If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
- Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
- Repot the parent plant back into its original pot
Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant retiring old leaves.
If it seems like there’s a problem, the most likely cause of yellow leaves in Bird's Nest Fern is underwatering. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Yellow leaves can less often be caused by overwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.
Give your plant a good drink and it should perk back up and download Greg to make sure your plant never goes thirsty again!
Care Summary for Bird's Nest Fern
Bird's Nest Fern
Greg recommends:

0.5 cups every 7 days

< 6ft from a window

Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say












When I first got this it came with what I believe were spider mites. I did my usual: shower, spray with a mixture of dr bronners soap and water, then clean daily with a qtip and isopropyl alcohol. It was a real trooper. It’s pest free now and so fun to see the leaves unfurl more every day. Eye-catching and pretty low maintenance. I love it!








I have in plastic pot in front of a southern facing window with verticals. Slow grower, but seems very easy to care for, only requiring water every so often. I use a moisture meter, which greatly helps and prevents over watering. Finally after having her for a couple of months, 2 new baby leaves are starting to pop out in the center






This plant has survived ANYTHING I’ve done to it!! Honestly such a great first house plant, I’ve had it for years and had basically no issues with it. They like humidity and and for their soil to be moist, but honestly they’re also pretty drought tolerant. I’ve let mine dry out completely for longer that I should have and it was completely fine! I definitely recommend this plant.



