Staghorn Fern

When I was a child my grandfather had numerous Staghorn Ferns growing in wire baskets hanging on the fences around his yard. My grandfather took much pride in taking care of them and were one of his favorite plants in his yard. I always like them myself because the leaves look like deer or elk antlers. When my grandfather passed away in the 1980's my parents hung the Staghorn's in our yard. My parents still have one of them and it is large and at least 50 years old.

So about a year ago I told my wife I would like to get one for our yard.

This is a photo of wild growning Staghorn Ferns from https://www.theknowledgelibrary.in/what-is-commensalism/

The Staghorn Ferns are also called Elkhorn Ferns and there are about 18 different species and are under the Platycerium genus. They grow wildly in the bark of many trees in tropical temperate climates such as South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The Staghorns can be grown indoor or outdoors but do require a shaded area outdoors.

My wife found one mounted on a board at a local nursery and bought it for me. It was very small when we got it. After a year the Staghorn has become bigger and it tips the board and stand it has over with any slight wind.

So I decided to make a new board out of some wood I had from some old pallets hanging around. To replant it I bought some peat moss, a coconut coir plant liner, and seedling soil. The Staghorn will eventually attach itself to whatever it is growing on but it will need to be wired into place when newly planted.

After I glued all the pieces of pallet wood together my wife decided she wanted it cut to the shape of a heart, which I did. I attached a few screws that would hold the wire that would secure the plant to the heart. I cut the coconut coir so it made a pocket and filled it with seedling soil. I cut a notch in the side of the coconut coir pocket where the plant would be planted. Then wired the whole thing to the heart.

We hung it in a shaded spot on the back of our house. The plant survives with a twice a week watering and occasional misting.

Hopefully over the next few years it will continue to grow and get those large antler shaped leaves.

Thanks for reading and have a great week.

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