Button fern
Pellaea rotundifolia
Also called Round-leaf fern
Houseplant · Ferns & palmsTougher and more forgiving of a dry day than it looks — the easiest fern here.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 5 daysKeep it moist — water at the first hint of dryness — don't wait for a dry pot.
- Light
- Medium indirect
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- Average to high
- Hardiness
- Tender — no frost at all RHS H2, to 1°C
- Size
- 0.3 m tall · 0.4 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- New Zealand
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
- Buttons drop off the wiry stalk at a touch while the compost is still wet — this is the one fern that minds a sodden pot more than a dry one.Waterlogging · disorder