Boston fern
Nephrolepis exaltata
Also called Sword fern and Ladder fern
Houseplant · Ferns & palmsCrisp brown edges are dry air, not thirst. A pebble tray beats more water.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Hard
- Water
- Every 4 daysKeep it moist — water at the first hint of dryness — don't wait for a dry pot.
- Light
- Medium indirect
- Feed
- Every 30 days
- Humidity
- High
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out in high summer RHS H1B, to 10°C
- Size
- 0.7 m tall · 0.9 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Tropical Americas
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsSafe for pets
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Dry brown pinnae shower onto the shelf when you brush past, before any whole frond has changed colour.Dry air · disorder
- Brown bumps in a line along the frond's central rib, distinguishable from spore cases because they sit anywhere, not in tidy rows.Scale insect · pest