Lush & lovely

Fall in love with fern! Explore different varieties, pick up care tips, and bring the rainforest into your home

A fern is a captivating and versatile houseplant. Are you familiar with the giant staghorn, elkhorn, and maidenhair fern? Pick up tips for caring for indoor ferns and get creative with your home decor.

Author Johanna Vireaho

Images Annabelle Antas

May 26, 2025Lue suomeksi

Fern as a houseplant: lush varieties and care tips

The giant staghorn fern is a striking houseplant. — The giant staghorn fern stands out with its unusual fronds, which come in two types: shield-like, lobeless ones that protect the roots, and decorative branching ones. The shield fronds are short-lived, so don’t remove them when they turn brown—allow them to wither and gradually decompose to release nutrients to the plant. Water the staghorn fern by submerging it in water for about 15 minutes.

Bird's-nest fern ‘Campio‘, sword fern ‘Emina Dragon Tail,’ and hard-fern on a north-facing windowsill. — Bird's-nest fern ‘Campio‘, sword fern ‘Emina Dragon Tail,’ and hard-fern complement each other with their diverse leaf shapes. Like most ferns, they thrive in filtered light. The best place for ferns is a bright or partly shaded window facing east or north. A south-facing window is usually too intense, especially in summer.

The variety of trendy ferns is impressively abundant and diverse.

Leaves of golden serpent fern on a plate. — Despite its name, the leaves of golden serpent fern are more silvery green. This species is surprisingly long-lived and resilient, and it won’t mind occasional dryness, though it prefers steady moisture. Its leaves also stay beautiful for a long time in a vase.

The elkhorn fern is a striking houseplant. — Elkhorn is a resilient variety and one of the easiest ferns to care for. Its sculptural appearance deserves a prime spot at home. In nature, it grows as an epiphyte on tree trunks and in branch forks, getting by with minimal growing medium. However, be sure to water and mist it frequently, as letting the substrate dry out can be fatal for the elkhorn fern.

Maidenhair fern is a graceful sight. — Maidenhair fern enchants with its delicate, arching growth habit. If the potting mix dries out, its fronds will quickly turn brown. A watering globe can help keep moisture levels steady year-round.

A fern kokedama thrives under a glass dome. — Small fern plantings and kokedamas—moss-ball arrangements—made, for example, with bird's-nest fern, fit perfectly under glass domes.

A fern kokedama arrangement on a dresser. — Thanks to high humidity, moss-ball arrangements need watering less often than usual. In the background on the right, a majestic elkhorn stretches out its striking fronds.

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Fall in love with fern! Explore different varieties, pick up care tips, and bring the rainforest into your home

Fern as a houseplant: lush varieties and care tips

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