Plant Care Japanese Bird's Nest Fern
1/10

Japanese Bird's Nest Fern

3.6 out of 5 (16 experiences)

Japanese Bird's Nest Fern has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves

Also known as

Crispy Wave Fern

Taxonomy

Asplenium nidus 'Crispy Waves'
Asplenium
Aspleniaceae
Polypodiales

How to care for Japanese Bird's Nest Fern

💦 Water

How often to water your Japanese Bird's Nest Fern

Water needs for Japanese Bird's Nest Fern
0.5 cups
every 7

Japanese 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.

Calculate water needs of Japanese Bird's Nest Fern

Water 0.5 cups every
7

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Crispy Wave Fern in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Japanese Bird's Nest Fern: 6ft from a window
6ft or less from
a window

Japanese 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 Japanese Bird's Nest Fern in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Japanese Bird's Nest Fern

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Japanese Bird's Nest 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 Japanese Bird's Nest Fern after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #CrispyWaveFern
💡 FAQs
💦 Water Needs

Japanese 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

Japanese 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

Greg does not have confirmed data on this plant’s toxicity. If you, a family member, or a pet consumes plant material of unknown toxicity, it’s always best to consult a medical professional.

If you or someone else ingested this plant, call Poison Control at US (800) 222-1222. If a pet consumed this plant, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA at US (888) 426-4435.

💨 Humidity

Japanese 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

Japanese 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.

What Are Healthy Crispy Wave Fern Roots →

💩 Fertilizer

Japanese 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

Japanese Bird's Nest Fern is native to Worldwide.

🧐 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 Japanese Bird's Nest Fern

Japanese Bird's Nest Fern

Japanese Bird's Nest Fern

Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 7 days

Placement

< 6ft 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

Japanese Bird's Nest Fern has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 8
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 4
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 4
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 2
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern has a Pest magnet plant personality Pest magnet 2
@XArianaX avatar
@@XArianaX
leaf-1 16 Plants
xp 997 XP
01/17/2022

I love my crispy wave fern, its a survivor! Whenever it needs to be watered it starts to droop but comes right back up after being watered. Its current potted in peat and seems to really like that kind of soil because it retains so much water. However if this plant goes too long without humidity it starts getting little light brown spots. Thankfully they aren’t too noticeable and can be fixed by placing this plant closer to a humidifier!

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Survivor Survivor
Browns easily Browns easily
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern plant photo by @XArianaX named Krispy on Greg, the plant care app.
Kylie avatar
@Kylie
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 113 XP
globe Portage, IN
10/10/2021

constantly dying but not dead, i have tried everything and the only thing that seems to help is a grow light

Japanese Bird's Nest Fern plant photo by Kylie named jordan on Greg, the plant care app.
@graceg1rouard avatar
@@graceg1rouard
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 67 XP
07/12/2021

overall it looks really nice and is pretty easy to take care of but i feel like i’ve been doing everything right yet the leaves continue to brown a lot :/

Browns easily Browns easily
Fast grower Fast grower
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern plant photo by @graceg1rouard named Morgan Treeman on Greg, the plant care app.
@growwithme avatar
@@growwithme
leaf-1 36 Plants
xp 3,022 XP
globe San Francisco, CA
06/17/2021

Prefers high humidity

Fast grower Fast grower
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern plant photo by @growwithme named Moana on Greg, the plant care app.
Tiana avatar
@Tiana
leaf-1 25 Plants
xp 443 XP
globe Ayer, MA
06/10/2021

How the heck do you keep this thing alive

Browns easily Browns easily
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern plant photo by Tiana named Kobe on Greg, the plant care app.
@apb0168 avatar
@@apb0168
leaf-1 29 Plants
xp 1,501 XP
globe Hamilton, Ontario
06/05/2021

It’s temperamental. Good air purifier

Japanese Bird's Nest Fern plant photo by @apb0168 named Wavy on Greg, the plant care app.
@rangosinhaler avatar
@@rangosinhaler
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 234 XP
04/30/2021

It’s super cute and amazing for small spaces :)

Browns easily Browns easily
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern plant photo by @rangosinhaler named wavee on Greg, the plant care app.
@kjoyce0912 avatar
@@kjoyce0912
leaf-1 11 Plants
xp 1,142 XP
globe Ithaca, NY
04/27/2021

I have had two of these ferns and have been unable to keep either one alive! I tried changing the humidity, the soil, the watering cycle and everything! I guess it wasn’t meant to be :(

Pest magnet Pest magnet
Browns easily Browns easily
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern plant photo by @kjoyce0912 named Lil’ Nestie on Greg, the plant care app.
@Nerskine avatar
@@Nerskine
leaf-1 14 Plants
xp 3,643 XP
04/08/2021

This thing grows SUPER SLOWLY. It requires high humidity and moist soil, so I’ve been fighting fungus gnats since I brought him home. He’s bright and friendly though, so on we go!

Pest magnet Pest magnet
Japanese Bird's Nest Fern plant photo by @Nerskine named Sweeney Todd on Greg, the plant care app.

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