Why is my staghorn fern turning brown?
Staghorn ferns produce brown patches of spores that are sometimes mistaken for disease. Check the sunlight. Staghorn ferns should not get direct sunlight. The best light is bright but indirect.
Are staghorn ferns prone to disease?
Like any plant, diseases of staghorn fern can develop, but they’re extremely few and far between. In fact, sick staghorn ferns are much more likely to be troubled by incorrect growing conditions than they are actual disease, so if your plant is looking unwell, take heart.
How do you treat staghorn ferns that are dying?
How to Treat Problems With Staghorn Ferns. Step 1 Check the sunlight. Staghorn ferns should not get direct sunlight. The best light is bright but indirect. Morning sun can be tolerated for a few hours. Move the staghorn to an area with better lighting if it is browning or yellowing out.
What are the white hairs on staghorn ferns?
Staghorns have a frosting of white hairs on the undersides of their leaves--this is a natural and healthy part of the leaf. Applying oil insecticides can damage these hairs (see Reference 2). Staghorn ferns (Platycerium species) are exotic, elegant and relatively disease-free.
How do you revive a staghorn fern?
Add a small amount of a slow-release fertilizer, such as Osmocote or Nutricote, into the hole as you add the moss or compost. This will provide nutrients and encourage growth. I always summer my staghorn ferns outside, and water them every few days.
What does an overwatered staghorn fern look like?
Brown/Black spots on the Base of Antler Fronds Another common sign to look for in the plant is black/brown spots on the base of antler fronds. The appearance of these spots is a sign that the plant is being overwatered.
How often do you water a staghorn fern?
A good rule of thumb is to water once per week in dry, hot times of year, and once every two to three weeks during cooler months. Start with this schedule, and adjust as necessary depending on your space. Staghorn ferns absorb water through their fronds, as well as their roots.
Can staghorn fern get too much water?
Since the Staghorn Fern is an epiphyte that naturally grows along tree trunks in the tropics, its roots are smaller than you might expect and are easily overwatered. This can lead to root rot and harm your plant. Keep an eye out for brown or black spots at the base of the antler fronds, which indicate overwatering.
How much sun can a staghorn fern take?
Staghorn ferns need lots of bright but indirect or diffused sunlight. This is best achieved by placing them next to the brightest window in the house. All directions are fine, but west-facing windows might expose the fern to too much direct afternoon sun.
What is wrong with my staghorn?
Staghorn ferns are fairly pest free. When kept too wet, they are susceptible to a disease called Rhizoctonia sp. This fungus produces black spots on the basal fronds which can spread rapidly, invade the growing point, and kill the plant. If symptoms appear, withhold water and reduce the humidity to slow the spread.
Can staghorn ferns live in low light?
The Staghorn Fern does not tolerate low light locations very well and will slowly decline in health, so during winter months you may have to move your plant to a sunnier location or closer to the window.
How do you water a potted staghorn fern?
Watering Staghorn Ferns Mist the foliage regularly to boost humidity. Stags actually absorb water through their fronds, so mist will extend the time between waterings. When you water, soak the root ball thoroughly. Place potted plants in a bowl of water and let them soak for 15 minutes or so.
Are staghorn ferns hard to care for?
Growing staghorn ferns is easy. If they get low to medium light and moderate moisture, they will thrive. In fact, whether grown indoors or outside, provide moderate moisture and a humus-rich medium when growing staghorn ferns.
How do I know if my staghorn fern is dying?
Several trouble signs should get your attention, starting with those distinctive fronds. If the “antler" fronds turn brown, they may be responding to overwatering; if only the tips turn brown or begin to wilt, they may be underwatered, according to Omysa.
Where do you hang a staghorn fern?
How to Hang a Staghorn Fern with Chains. Staghorn fern plants grow best in part shade to shady locations. Because they get most of their water and nutrients from the air or fallen plant matter, they are often hung on limbs or in the crotches of trees much like they grow in their native environments.
Why do staghorns go brown?
Common Problem: If the leaves of your Staghorn Fern are turning brown or pale, this could be because of too much direct light. Solution: Staghorn Ferns will grow best under bright, indirect sunlight or somewhere more shaded.
What is the black spot on my staghorn fern?
This is the calling card of Rhizoctonia, a fungal pest of staghorn fern. If left untreated, the black spores will continue their march and kill the entire plant.
What is a staghorn fern?
Image by sdbower. Staghorn ferns are dramatic plants both in the exotic places from which they hail and in the home environment. Although they can be a little tricky to get just so, once a staghorn is established, you can expect few problems with them.
How to keep rhizoctonia from destroying?
First, withhold water entirely and reduce the humidity around your plant. If that doesn’t make enough of a dent, try a general use fungicide. In the future, monitor the humidity and the plant’s watering, since excessive moisture is necessary for Rhizoctonia to survive. Mealybugs and scale.
Is a staghorn fern a disease?
Staghorn ferns can be interesting and exotic additions to your home or landscape. Their large, antler-like leaves are showy and dramatic, making them a favorite of fern enthusiasts. Like any plant, diseases of staghorn fern can develop, but they’re extremely few and far between. In fact, sick staghorn ferns are much more likely to be troubled by ...
Can mealybugs be used on staghorn ferns?
Mealybugs are a little bit easier to recognize as insects, but they produce copious amounts of white fuzzy wax that can hide their numbers. Avoid using oils on staghorn ferns, instead insecticidal soap can be used to destroy colonies.
Why are my staghorn ferns brown?
They are susceptible to spider mites, wet rot and some other common plant diseases. Staghorn ferns produce brown patches of spores that are sometimes mistaken for disease. Advertisement.
Why are my staghorn ferns losing leaves?
Staghorn ferns should become completely dry -- all the way through -- between waterings. A common cause of rot and losing leaves is overwatering. Signs include black spots on the guard leaves that can spread rapidly and kill the plant. This is a fungus called rhizoctonia (see Reference 1).
What do you need to grow staghorns?
Things You'll Need. Distilled water. Insecticide. Sprayer. White sheet of paper. Tip. Don't mistake spores for scaling or other leaf diseases. Mature healthy staghorns produce brown patches or spots of spores that are a normal process for the plant. If in doubt, describe these spots to your local distributor to determine if they are spores ...
How to get rid of salt water from a plant?
Softened water will cause old leaves to brown out quickly and can even kill the plant. To get rid of salt water, completely soak and drain with distilled water.
Can staghorn ferns be in direct sunlight?
Staghorn ferns should not get direct sunlight. The best light is bright but indirect. Morning sun can be tolerated for a few hours. Move the staghorn to an area with better lighting if it is browning or yellowing out.
Can you use oil based insecticide on staghorns?
Use a non-oil-based systemic insecticide and apply it throughout the moss backing. If an oil-based insecticide is needed, check with your local distributor to make sure it is safe to use on staghorns. One problem with oil insecticides is that you are instructed to "polish" the leaves with the oil.
Do staghorn ferns have white hairs?
Staghorns have a frosting of white hairs on the undersides of their leaves--this is a natural and healthy part of the leaf. Applying oil insecticides can damage these hairs (see Reference 2). Staghorn ferns (Platycerium species) are exotic, elegant and relatively disease-free.
Signs of Overwatered Staghorn Fern
Staghorn ferns don’t require too much water on them as they rely on the support of a wall to grow.
How to Fix an Overwatered Staghorn Fern?
We can recover the overwatered Staghorn Fern if the foliage and the roots have not sustained severe damage.
Tips to Prevent Overwatering in Staghorn Fern
Overwatering can cause severe damage to staghorn fern. You should always check the moisture content in the soil to prevent overwatering.
Conclusion
Staghorn Fern is a lovely green plant that can increase the charm of your house if it is in full health. The mighty antler-shaped leaves do not lose their stature if adequately watered.
How to tell if a staghorn fern is shedding?
It’s important that the staghorn fern not be immersed, but that the water be allowed to evaporate very close to the plant. Sap-sucking insects. Generally, you can tell if sap-suckers are at the root of your leaf shedding problem.
What is a staghorn fern?
Image by mansum008. Owning a staghorn fern is an exercise in balance. Balancing water and light, nutrients and keeping their roots exposed is like a highly technical dance that can keep you guessing.
Where do staghorn ferns live?
About Staghorn Fern Leaf Drop. Staghorn ferns have evolved to thrive in their natural habitat as epiphytes that live in the nooks and crannies in tropical forests. Instead of rooting in soil, they secure themselves to tree bark where they can take advantage of small dribblings of water and the decay of leaves and other organic matter.
Why are my leaves turning brown?
Leaves may develop yellow or brown spots where scale or mealybugs are actively feeding, not drying enough to drop until the infection is fairly severe. However, since many scale can look like part of a plant and other sap-suckers feed on the undersides of leaves, it’s possible to miss them on first inspection.
Do staghorn ferns need water?
Incorrect watering. While it’s true that staghorn ferns live in humid environments, they don’t experience constant wetness all day and all night. When you water your fern, you should drench it, then withhold water until it’s completely dry again.