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African Water Fern

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Bolbitis heudelotii

Genus

Bolbitis

How to care for African Water Fern

💦 Water

How often to water your African Water Fern

African Water 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

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for African Water Fern in your home

African Water Fern may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of African Water Fern in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize African Water Fern

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for African Water Fern: repot after 2X growth

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 African Water Fern after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

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💡 FAQs

💦 Water Needs

African Water 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.

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

African Water 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.

🍂 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 African Water 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!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.