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. Its rhizomes are spreading to short-creeping, often branched, and are hidden by fronds.
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'. They are gray-green and grow outward from the crown. They are covered with a grayish-white felt.
Water its crown on a regular basis, while allowing the roots to dry slightly between waterings, while never letting the roots dry out.
It is a commonly grown houseplant. When potting, use epiphytic or sphagnum fern mixture. Potted plants can be watered from the bottom.
It gets its common name from its leaves, they resemble the forked antlers of a stag. Can be grown on a slab of wood or bark.
Quick ID Hints:
- Fronds are dimorphic, shield-like, and antler-like
- Sori massed onlobes of antler-like fronds
VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington, Director of JC Raulston Arboretum.
- 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
- 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.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 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
- 3 feet-6 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
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Other/more complex
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 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. Fertile fronds are deciduous, short-stipitate, erect to arching or pendent, dichotomously branched into several lobes (antler-like), and covered with down.
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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
- Houseplants
- Landscape Theme:
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
