Plant Care Phlebodium Areolatum

Phlebodium Areolatum

4.1 out of 5 (14 experiences)

Phlebodium Areolatum has a Survivor plant personality Survivor
Phlebodium Areolatum has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves

Also known as

Virginia Blue Fern, Virginia Blue Fern, Blue Star Fern and Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern

Taxonomy

Phlebodium areolatum
Phlebodium
Polypodiaceae
Polypodiales

How to care for Phlebodium Areolatum

💦 Water

How often to water your Phlebodium Areolatum

Water needs for Phlebodium Areolatum
0.5 cups
every 9

Phlebodium Areolatum 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 Phlebodium Areolatum

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Virginia Blue Fern in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Phlebodium Areolatum: 3ft from a window
3ft or less from
a window

Phlebodium Areolatum 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 Phlebodium Areolatum in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Phlebodium Areolatum

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

Browse #VirginiaBlueFern
💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Phlebodium Areolatum 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!

Benefits of Growing Virginia Blue Fern →

Common Virginia Blue Fern Problems →


💦 Water Needs

Phlebodium Areolatum 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.

Virginia Blue Fern Water Frequency →

Virginia Blue Fern Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Phlebodium Areolatum 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 🏡.

Virginia Blue Fern Light Requirements →

Virginia Blue Fern Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Phlebodium Areolatum 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.

Virginia Blue Fern Toxicity to Cats →

Virginia Blue Fern Toxicity to Dogs →

Virginia Blue Fern Toxicity to Humans →


💨 Humidity

Phlebodium Areolatum 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.

Virginia Blue Fern Humidity Needs →


🪴 Soil

Phlebodium Areolatum 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 Soil Mix for Virginia Blue Fern →

When and How to Successfully Repot Virginia Blue Fern →


💩 Fertilizer

Phlebodium Areolatum should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Virginia Blue Fern →


🌎 Native Region

Phlebodium Areolatum is native to Tropical and Subtropical Americas.


🌸 Flowers

Phlebodium Areolatum does not flower.

Virginia Blue Fern Flowers →


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

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

How and When to Prune Virginia Blue Fern →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Phlebodium Areolatum can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 8a-13b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Virginia Blue Fern Temperature Tolerance →


🌱 Propagation

Phlebodium Areolatum 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

How to Propagate Virginia Blue Fern →


🍂 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 Phlebodium Areolatum, 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 Phlebodium Areolatum

Phlebodium Areolatum

Phlebodium Areolatum


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

Phlebodium Areolatum has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 9
Phlebodium Areolatum has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 7
Phlebodium Areolatum has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 6
Phlebodium Areolatum has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 4
Phlebodium Areolatum has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate 1
Darrell avatar
@Darrell
leaf-1 9 Plants
xp 145 XP
globe Wadsworth, OH
07/01/2021

Newby but with control of the water and misting it’s been beautiful!

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@jimogen avatar
@@jimogen
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 91 XP
globe Oxenholme, England
05/29/2021

Make sure the soil is always moist. It can survive in darker rooms but does well in bathrooms/bedrooms (humidity n heat and stuff) Honestly just love these plants and their little fuzzy roots :)

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
@oprah_rynfrey avatar
@@oprah_rynfrey
leaf-1 54 Plants
xp 1,218 XP
globe Chicago, IL
05/17/2021

I love this plant. Very easy to care for with adequate sun and water ~ mine noticeably perks up when I water it! Deep green kangaroo paw leaves carry a faint smell of cinnamon.

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Survivor Survivor
Browns easily Browns easily

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