Everything You Need to Know About Bird’s Nest Fern Plants

Bird’s Nest Fern Plants Things You Need to Know

Family Name: Aspleniaceae
Scientific name: Asplenium nidus
Common Name: Bird’s Nest Fern

 

What is a Bird’s Nest Fern?

The Bird’s Nest Fern is an epiphyte that is native to the tropical regions of the earth (mainly in South-East Asia and East Australia), but is now grown in every part of the globe as house plants. These plants generally grow on trees and root themselves to it. They have no difficulty, thus, in growing amidst very thrifty conditions with regards to nutrients, and thus take very little effort on the part of the grower to maintain it. Further, you do not need to be alert all the time because you can rest assured that this plant is totally non-toxic for your pets.

 

How it Looks

Bird’s Nest Fern has long, spear shaped leaves that have a wavy pattern on its edges, and it has a brown mid-rib. Since the Asplenidum nidus (the scientific name for Bird’s Nest Fern) shows a variety of fronds, you can easily put a few of these plants in your room without anyone guessing that they are from the same class and family! These plants are best for hanging because of their nature of creeping up, and this lends a tranquil ambience to the room where you put the plant in. the “cobra” variety of the plant is very popular because the whole structure of the plant has a wavy structure that curls inwards, which renders the plant an elegant look.

Keeping the plant in your room also has the advantage of keeping the plant away from any potential source of direct sunlight. This is beneficial for the plant. Although Bird’s Nest Fern needs a humid environment, it also needs a lot of shade to grow, and hopefully it will find this favorable condition in your room. Further, the plant does not grow more than 2 feet in height, and thus you need not worry about pruning it regularly.

 

Where to Keep

It has already been mentioned that Bird’s Nest Fern needs a shady place to thrive. However, during the early stages of its lifespan, you can expose it to light and medium degrees of direct sunlight. Another aspect that you must remember is that you must provide the plant with a lot of space because it has quite a baggy appearance and needs about 2 feet space around it so that it does not feel stifled for space.

 

How to Propagate Bird’s Nest Fern

You must be wondering—what happens if one of the plants fail? Do I have to invest again in these plants? The answer is no, you do not have to invest in these plants if they fail to grow for some reason—provided you diligently learn how to propagate the plant. This can be a special and thoughtful gift, and an unusual one at that, for your loved ones. The advantage of gifting a home grown plant is that you are already aware of the health of the plant, and you can be sure about the health of the progeny.

The most interesting fact about epiphytes like Bird’s Nest Fern is that they reproduce through spores, which are miniscule egg-like structures found in the undersides of the fronds. Firstly, you need to select the frond that you find healthy enough for propagation. Next, detach the frond gently from the plant so as not to hurt or injure the rest of the plant. Once you have obtained the frond, you can put it safely in a plastic bag, and in two weeks the spores will detach from the fronds and will be ready for germination.

As epiphytes grow best on the moss that forms on the surface of tree barks, you can simulate the process by getting sphagnum or peat moss and reinforcing it with dolomite. This could be a potent mix for the growth of the Bird’s Nest Fern. However, you should be very careful about the water and heat requirements of the plants. You should not water the growing medium like you water soil. Place the pot that holds the growing medium on a plate of water, and let the water soak into the soil and travel up.

This gradual moistening of the medium is ideal for the Bird’s Nest Fern to grow, and a sudden flooding can defeat the cause. These plants require a fairly warm temperature, and try to keep it at a 70-80° F tops, and you can be sure about its growth. Make sure that the temperature does not drop below 55°F, because that could adversely affect the growth of the Bird’s Nest Fern. The plant, in an early stage, must be restricted from being exposed to harsh sunlight, and you can cover up the growing medium with black plastic bags to limit the entry of light into it.

 

Plant Care Summary

Temperature –Room temperature between 18-24 Degree C (65-75 Degree F)

Light –Providing direct sunlight to some extent is recommended. However, you should only provide access to early morning sunlight or pre-sunset light.

Watering –The soil should remain moist most of the time. However, you should not make the soil soggy.

Soil –Bird’s Nest Fern requires peat-based potting. A peat-based organic mixture is also considered as ideal.

Fertilizer –From the period of April to September, it is recommended to provide diluted fertilizer to the plant –every 2 weeks.

Humidity –If the plant is getting affected due to dry air in the environment, some humidity might be required.

Propagation –Propagation is done through spore sowing.

 

Common Problems

• Tips turning brown –lack of humidity might be the cause. It is recommended to increase humidity levels.
• Scale –Scale is a type of insect that infects Bird’s Nest ferns. You can remove them by wiping the leaves off with a damp cloth and spraying slightly insecticide on the plant.
• Plant not experiencing growth: Lack of fertilizer might be the reason.
• Pale fronds –caused due to excessive exposure to sunlight
• Brown dots towards the underside –Referred to as spores for propagation.
  
  

 

When to Re-Pot the Plant?

The Bird’s Nest Fern is a pretty low maintenance plant, and you do not often need to re-pot it. Only when you see its roots reaching the surface of the moss you are using as the growing medium do you need to prune the roots (if you do not want to re-pot it yet) or you can re-pot it, thus giving the plant a bigger space to grow. In the latter case, keep in mind that the Bird’s Nest Fern grows in the spring, and thus refrain from re-potting it in the wrong season.

 

Points to Keep in Mind

If you have gone through the article, you must have found the Bird’s Nest Fern a very interesting epiphyte top keep in your house. It is easy to grow and requires very little attention. Propagating the plant is not a difficult process either, as you just need to collect the spores and take care of the water and light requirements sincerely. Growing the Bird’s Nest Fern is a hobby that you would be glad to have picked up. Once you become used to the process of propagation, you can even sell the plant if you can spare enough time to propagate enough of it. Considering the popularity of the plant, you are sure to get a good return for your efforts!