Platycerium bifurcatum
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Platycerium alcicorne
- Phonetic Spelling
- plat-ee-SIR-ee-um by-fur-KAY-tum
- Description
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Staghorn fern is an epiphyte occurring naturally in tropical areas. An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. It clings to trees using roots and is rhizomatous, the rhizomes spreading to short-creeping, often branched, and are hidden by fronds. It will continue to develop pups from these rhizomes, forming a colony of plants. It gets its common name from its leaves, they resemble the forked antlers of a stag.
There are two types of fronds, the first being infertile. They are small leaves that cover the root crown. The second, which are fertile, grow up to 4', though are usually only 2'-3' in cultivated environments. They are gray-green and grow outward from the crown, covered with a grayish-white felt.
It is a commonly grown houseplant. When potting, use epiphytic or sphagnum fern mixture. Potted plants can be watered from the bottom. It can even be grown on a slab of wood or bark. Water its crown on a regular basis while allowing the roots to dry slightly between waterings, never letting the roots dry out completely.
Quick ID Hints:
- Fronds are dimorphic, shield-like, and antler-like
- Sori massed on lobes of antler-like fronds
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti", a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Platycerium
- Species:
- bifurcatum
- Family:
- Polypodiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeast Asia, Australia, Polynesia, subtropical Australia
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- This plant is seldom damaged by deer.
- Climbing Method:
- Clinging
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Epiphyte
- Fern
- Houseplant
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Cascading
- Mounding
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 9a, 9b, 10b, 10a, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13b, 13a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No flowers.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Velvety
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Other/more complex
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leathery gray-green fronds covered with a grayish-white felt. Leaves are dimoprhic in two rows. Sterile fronds are few, persistent, appressed to substrate, sessile, circular to oblong (shield-like), thing, and papery. They grow close to the crown and turn brown with age. Fertile fronds are deciduous, short-stipitate, erect to arching or pendent, dichotomously branched into several lobes (antler-like), and covered with down. The spores grow from the tips.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Scales:
- Enclosed in more than 2 scales
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Houseplants
- Landscape Theme:
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
