platycerium bifurcatum - staghorn fern

I love ferns. I’ve bought quite a few ferns. I only have one fern. I’m surprised it’s still here, and I’m surprised it got a post and video.

I saw pictures and videos of folks with Staghorn Ferns – Platycerium bifurcatum – on their walls. It looks so cool. So when I found a couple of them, I gave it a go; which brings us to why I only have one fern. They can be somewhat unforgiving and I can be somewhat distracted, and those two don’t mix well. So while one of them joined his fern relatives in the compost bin, I moved the remaining one to a plastic pot with my standard mix, watered him occasionally, and put him someplace else.

He looked awful for a while, and then less awful, and then better. It seems the new combination of container, mix, and location was something he liked. New fronds appeared, both the fertile and the sterile, so I’m just carrying on with what I’ve been doing.

All this unexpected growth had me thinking, for just a moment, that maybe I could try another fern. But then I slapped myself up-side my head and remembered how often I’d said before. And that there’s a reason I only have one fern.

I’ll keep you posted.

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