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

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.

Browse #ElkhornFern
💡 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!

How to Grow Elkhorn Fern →

Benefits of Growing Elkhorn Fern →

Common Elkhorn Fern Problems →

Indoor Care Guide for Elkhorn Fern →

Outdoor Care Guide for Elkhorn Fern →


💦 Water Needs

Elkhorn Fern prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Elkhorn Fern Water Frequency →

Elkhorn Fern Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Elkhorn Fern may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Elkhorn Fern Light Requirements →

Elkhorn Fern Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Elkhorn 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.

Is Elkhorn Fern Edible? →

Elkhorn Fern Toxicity to Cats →

Elkhorn Fern Toxicity to Humans →


💨 Humidity

Elkhorn 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.

Elkhorn Fern Humidity Needs →


🪴 Soil

Elkhorn 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.

Best Pots for Elkhorn Fern →

When and How to Successfully Repot Elkhorn Fern →

What Are Healthy Elkhorn Fern Roots →


💩 Fertilizer

Elkhorn 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!

How Much and When to Fertilize Elkhorn Fern →


🌎 Native Region

Elkhorn Fern is native to Temperate and Tropical Southern Hemisphere.


🌸 Flowers
⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Elkhorn Fern is a clumping plant, meaning new growth will emerge from the soil around the parent plant.

Elkhorn Fern Lifecycle →

Elkhorn Fern Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Elkhorn Fern →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors
🌱 Propagation

Elkhorn 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 shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Elkhorn Fern, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered 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.


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 1,429 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 19 Plants
xp 3,794 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 26 Plants
xp 3,370 XP
globe Centuria, WI
09/07/2021

Unique and traveled with me 1800 miles!

Survivor Survivor
@queenvee avatar
@@queenvee
leaf-1 30 Plants
xp 3,754 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 43 Plants
xp 11,683 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 45 Plants
xp 4,101 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 26 Plants
xp 2,655 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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