Botanical Name: Platycerium bifurcatum
Common Name: Staghorn fern
Type of Plant: perennial: fern
Character evergreen
 
Habit of Growth:
Overall Shape odd, spreading plant with long, forked drooping fronds extending from a rosette of flattened, rounded fronds – sends out offsets around base
Height 3-6'
Spread 6' or more
Growth Rate slow-moderate
 
Environment:
Exposure outdoor prefers part shade - takes sun at the coast
Soil small amount of highly organic soil
Hardiness tolerates some frost to 22 (zones 15-17, 19-24)
 
Morphology:
Leaves grayish green, tomentose-sterile fronds rounded with undulate margins; fertile fronds drooping to 3'; divided into narrow segments
Flowers none; sori in terminal patches under frond tips; become brown when ripe
Fruit none
 
Propagation:
spore, division
 
Usage:
usually mounted on boards, bark or wired to trees. Sometimes grown in hanging baskets – good for patios, shady areas
 
Landscape Care:
Watering keep on the dry side – allow soil to dry between waterings
Fertilizing high potassium fertilizer every 2 mos. during growing seas.
Pruning remove dead fronds – divide if too large
Pests/Diseases mealybug, scale
 
Origin: Australia/Polynesia
Family: Polypodiaceae

Notes:
 
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