Bird's Nest Fern Guide: How to Care For Bird’s Nest Ferns

The bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus) is a type of fern that has bright green, crinkled fronds and dark brown or black midrib down the center of each leaf. The fronds grow outward from a central rosette, and new fronds look like tiny eggs in a bird’s nest when they begin to grow, which is how this fern got its common name. They are also epiphytes, meaning they’re often found growing on the surface of other plants. You might find a bird’s nest fern growing on a tree trunk or in the nooks between branches.

Native to many tropical regions—including Hawaii, eastern Africa, Polynesia, southeast Asia, and northern Australia—bird’s nest ferns are one of the most forgiving fern plants since they can be planted year-round, require only a moderate amount of sunlight, and prefer warm indoor temperatures.

There are many types of bird’s nest fern plants, each with their own distinct attributes:

1. 1. Crispy Wave: Crispy wave ferns are easily recognized by their crinkled green leaves.
2. 2. Osaka: Osaka ferns have narrower, glossy fronds with crinkled edges.
3. 3. Antiquum: Antiquum ferns have green fronds with uniform width and length.
4. 4. Crow’s Nest: Crow’s nest ferns can grow up to 6 feet long and resemble palm trees.

Bird’s nest ferns make good indoor plants because they are particularly suited to grow in home environments:

• Water your bird’s nest fern roughly two to three times a week. You want to give the soil enough water to be moist, but not soggy. Water the soil around the edges of the pot rather than pouring into the middle as the crown of the fern can rot and damage any new growth from the rosette.
• The bird’s nest fern prefers filtered or indirect light. This can be achieved by placing the plant a few feet away from a window with direct sunlight, in a low-light north-facing window, or behind a curtain. Direct sun can burn the thin leaves and fragile new growths.
• Use a potting mix of two parts peat with one part sand. This will provide the right amount of acidity and drainage for growth. You could also use potting soil that is a bromeliad and orchid mixture. Since they are epiphytic plants, these ferns can be grown without soil by placing them on a natural surface like a piece of wood or bark.
• Bird’s nest ferns don’t require fertilizer. In fact, many of the salts in fertilizers can actually damage the plant. You can dilute a balanced liquid fertilizer until it’s half-strength, and apply every four to eight weeks through the growing season (generally April to September).
• Bird’s nest ferns prefer high-humidity environments similar to the tropics. You can place a humidifier next to the plant, leave it in a bathroom where hot showers steam the room, or try misting the fronds in the morning. They are sensitive to temperature changes, so don’t keep them too close to doors or open windows where there might be a draft. Bird's nest ferns aren’t ideal for closed terrariums due to the lack of air circulation, but they may be suitable for terrariums that are more open, like a wide fishbowl.

There a few things to consider for proper bird’s nest fern care:

• Pruning: You don’t need to prune the fronds, but removing any dead fronds or leaves that have died will help your bird’s nest fern create new leaves and remain healthy.
• Repotting: The roots of a bird’s nest fern don’t require much space, so you will rarely need to repot the plant. Consider repotting when the fronds grow large enough to make it hard to balance in the pot, or when the soil becomes too compact. Generally, a bird’s nest fern will only need to be repotted once every two or three years. The roots are delicate, so be very gentle when removing them.
• Pests: If you ever notice a white or sticky residue on the leaves, your fern might have mealybugs or scale insects. Avoid using insecticides, which can harm your fern, and instead dilute some neem oil in water and lightly mist the fronds. Slugs might also appear on the fronds of your fern, but you can easily pick them off to dispose of them. The most vicious pests are nematodes, which will require removing infected fronds entirely or repotting the plant.

Bird’s nest fern propagation can be done by using its spores:

1. 1. Identify the spores: The spores appear as tiny brown spots on the underside of each frond and are arranged in tight rows, which are called sori.
2. 2. Prepare the spores: Cut a mature frond with spores and place it on a piece of paper. Leave the frond on the paper for a few days.
3. 3. Collect the spores: Once the spores become larger and have a fuzzy texture, remove the frond and place it in a paper bag. Over time, the spores will fall from the frond and will be collected at the bottom of the bag.
4. 4. Plant the spores: In a pot, place the spores on top of sphagnum or peat moss. Place in a cool environment with full shade or partial shade.
5. 5. Mist the spores daily: Keep the spores moist by misting them daily with water. The spores should germinate within two weeks and can then be transferred to pots.

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