Ferns

Choose Bird’s Nest Leslie for crinkled, crested fronds, or Hurricane for a twisting rosette. Kimberly Queen has the more traditional feathery look, while Rabbit’s Foot adds lacy foliage and fuzzy rhizomes that spread over the pot. A Staghorn Fern gives you branching fronds and the option of a mounted display. Compare the listed pot size and care requirements before choosing.

A bathroom can work if it has suitable daylight and airflow. Humidity does not replace light: a windowless bathroom needs a grow light. Many indoor ferns do well in bright, indirect light, protected from strong sun and drying heat vents. Check the individual variety rather than assuming every fern will thrive in a dark corner.

No. Use a pot with drainage and check the growing medium before watering. Staghorns need some drying between waterings, while more moisture-loving varieties need closer attention. Follow the individual plant’s care guidance and avoid leaving roots in standing water. Keep Rabbit’s Foot Fern’s fuzzy rhizomes above the potting mix rather than burying them.

Leave the flat, shield-shaped fronds at the base in place. They naturally become brown and papery as they age, helping protect and anchor the plant. Brown spore patches beneath mature upright fronds can also be normal. These are different from damaged or withered growing fronds, so identify what is browning before trimming.

Check the individual species. The ASPCA lists common Staghorn Fern, Platycerium bifurcatum, as non-toxic to cats and dogs, but that does not establish the status of every plant sold as a fern. Our Eyelash Fern currently carries a Pet Caution label. Use the product’s pet information or browse our pet-friendly plants to narrow your choice, and keep foliage out of chewing reach.