Plant Care Elkhorn Fern

Elkhorn Fern

4.4 out of 5 (34 experiences)

Elkhorn Fern has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves
Elkhorn Fern has a Survivor plant personality Survivor

Also known as

Staghorn Fern

Taxonomy

Platycerium bifurcatum
Platycerium
Polypodiaceae
Polypodiales

How to care for Elkhorn Fern

Water

How often to water your Elkhorn Fern

Water needs for Elkhorn Fern
0.5 cups
every 9

Elkhorn Fern needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 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.

Calculate water needs of Elkhorn Fern

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
Light

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 Elkhorn Fern in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Elkhorn Fern: 3ft from a window
3ft or less from
a window

Elkhorn 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 Elkhorn Fern in your home 🏡.

Nutrients

How to fertilize Elkhorn Fern

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Elkhorn 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 Elkhorn Fern after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

FAQs
Difficulty Level

Elkhorn Fern can be challenging to care for, according to some plant parents. Check out the reviews down below to learn from their experiences!


Water Needs
Sunlight Needs
Toxicity
Humidity
Soil
Fertilizer
Native Region
Flowers
Growth Pattern
Growing Outdoors
Propagation
Yellow Leaves

Care Summary for Elkhorn Fern

Elkhorn Fern

Elkhorn Fern


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 3ft from a window

Nutrients

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

Elkhorn Fern has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 17
Elkhorn Fern has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 9
Elkhorn Fern has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 6
Elkhorn Fern has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 4
@PrimoLimetuff avatar
@@PrimoLimetuff
leaf-1 33 Plants
xp 1,426 XP
globe Marshville, NC
03/07/2022

I have three I just love my boys

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Survivor Survivor
@KE avatar
@@KE
leaf-1 16 Plants
xp 2,437 XP
12/21/2021

So far so good with this one. I love the cork mount as it really adds some flair and makes it look like I brought a piece of nature inside. I’ve only had it a few weeks, so time will tell, but this has become a favorite. I make sure to mist the undersides of the leaves daily. It seems to love humidity.

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@Mars avatar
@@Mars
leaf-1 6 Plants
xp 229 XP
globe Austin, TX
09/15/2021

Keeps living, but doesn’t look well. Very finicky

Survivor Survivor
@Maybe avatar
@@Maybe
leaf-1 14 Plants
xp 1,655 XP
globe Centuria, WI
09/07/2021

Unique and traveled with me 1800 miles!

Survivor Survivor
@queenvee avatar
@@queenvee
leaf-1 30 Plants
xp 2,237 XP
globe San Francisco, CA
07/15/2021

Easy to care for, adds a simple yet stunning splash of color to walls

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Silvia avatar
@Silvia
leaf-1 103 Plants
xp 3,724 XP
globe Albuquerque, NM
06/22/2021

Its an attractive and hardy plant

Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@Giggles avatar
@@Giggles
leaf-1 64 Plants
xp 1,267 XP
globe Lyle, WA
06/08/2021

I love the fuzzy crazy looking leafs! People always comment how cool it is!

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@PlantLife avatar
@@PlantLife
leaf-1 47 Plants
xp 10,693 XP
globe Miami, FL
05/04/2021

Watching this plant grow over time reminds you that it has a history that reaches in to mystical forests. I love thinking about what it can become.

Survivor Survivor
@GreenThumbYogiKimG avatar
@@GreenThumbYogiKimG
leaf-1 50 Plants
xp 2,552 XP
globe Jacksonville, FL
04/18/2021

Needs bright diffused light but no direct rays of sunlight. Keep it fairly moist, be sure to water when top soil is dry. Mist often

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@sandstep avatar
@@sandstep
leaf-1 27 Plants
xp 2,578 XP
globe New Orleans, LA
03/19/2021

I always marvel at the massive staghorns you’ll find at City Park’s Botanical Garden in NOLA and my grandmother had one on the shady end of her pool that was the size of a basketball. She started hers in a wire hanging basket and the shield leaves wrapped around the whole thing. They will also attach to pieces of wood for a nice wall hanging. That’s what I plan to do with one that I have an indoor spot to try.

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves

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