Staghorn fern
Platycerium bifurcatum
Also called Elkhorn fern
Houseplant · Ferns & palmsMounted on a board it is watered by soaking, not pouring. Judge it by weight.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Hard
- Water
- Once a weekSoak and hang — submerge the whole plant for twenty to thirty minutes.
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Feed
- Every 45 days
- Humidity
- High
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out for the summer RHS H1C, to 5°C
- Size
- 0.9 m tall · 0.9 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Australia and Java
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
- The flat round backing frond goes brown and papery — that is its job, it is the plant's own root cover, and prying it off exposes the roots.Shield frond browning · disorder
- A black, slimy patch behind the shield where the moss has stayed sodden between waterings.Rot at the mount · disease