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Platycerium superbum

staghorn fern

A tender, evergreen, epiphytic fern with large, upright, rounded to kidney-shaped, deeply lobed, grey-green fronds and long, pendent, wedge-shaped, forked, leathery, bright green fertile fronds

Synonyms

Platycerium grande hort.

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

1.5–2.5 metres

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or East–facing or North–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1A

Botanical details

Family: Polypodiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Platycerium are evergreen, epiphytic ferns with short rhizomes, and a tuft of rounded or heart-shaped sterile fronds, sometimes lobed on the upper margin, and erect or pendent, grey-green fertile fronds which are usually repeatedly forked
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Australia (Queensland, NSW)

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a heated greenhouse or conservatory but out of direct sunlight. Grow epiphytically on bark or wood to recreate the natural environment of growing on trees, using an equal mix of coarse leaf mould, loam, and charcoal in bright filtered light and hight humidity. In growth, water freely, mist daily, and feed monthly. Do not allow roots to dry out. Benefits from occasional immersion of the entire root ball in water for several minutes and then drained. Water sparingly in winter. See Epiphytic Ferns for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by replanting plantlets or through spores

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Houseplants
Low Maintenance

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.