Bird’s nest fern

A stylish, easy plant that’s perfect for bright or shady spots, the bird’s nest fern has become a popular houseplant all over the world. It grows beautifully, with new leaves emerging from the centre to form a big green rosette. 

In the wild, this plant is found in forests across Asia, Africa and Australia. It grows up in the branches of large trees, which is how it gets the name bird’s nest fern. Plants that grow like this are known as epiphytes. A wild bird’s nest fern could grow as large as 3 metres across. 

You’ll be glad to know this one will get nowhere near that large, but it does like to feel as if it’s back in the forest. It will be happy in everything from medium light to quite shady spots. The thing bird's nest ferns really need is moisture, in its soil and the air. Water it whenever the top two inches of soil feel dry and give it a mist every few days. Even better, let it live in a bright bathroom.

Because bird’s nest ferns grow from the centre, their outer leaves brown as they age. This is nothing to worry about. It’s just your plant making space for new growth. You can snip the brown leaves off. 

Did you know?

This plant is a protected species in Hong Kong, so deserves to be treated with great respect.