PetalPal
English
Maidenhair fern

Maidenhair fern

Maidenhair

DifficultyNeeds care
SeasonYear-round
FoliageA perennial

Meaning

Quiet grace, a young purity

Black wiry stems and tender green leaflets. It looks delicate, and it is fussy.

Safe for cats and dogs. Any plant can still upset a pet’s stomach if they eat a lot, so keep it out of reach.

Light

Bright, indirect light. No direct sun.

Water

Keep it moist. Don't let it dry out.

Temperature

15-25°C

Feed

Once a month in spring and summer, with a weak fertilizer

Do this when you get home

  1. Somewhere bright, humid, and out of the sun. A bathroom window is a good spot.
  2. Keep the soil moist. One dry spell and a lot of the fronds die back.

Day to day

  • Mist every day to raise the humidity. A heated room in the north needs this especially.
  • Cut dead fronds off at the base. New ones come.

Common questions

A lot of the fronds dried up?

Usually not enough water, or air that's too dry. Cut off the dead fronds, keep it moist, and in a while it sprouts again from the base.

Plant doctor

More foliage

See all
PetalPal

Reminders and a care diary live in the app

Get a nudge when it’s time to water or change the vase water, and keep a diary for each plant, in the PetalPal app. Search “PetalPal” on the App Store or Google Play.