Can anyone explain the culture, requirments, lighting, etc. about this fern?
The one I have just recieved is mounted on a piece of board, and I know nothing about them.
Staghorn fern
A lot of those may change depending upon your climate. I can only comment on it's outdoor requirements here in So California... and that's for P bipinnatum. Some other species vary a LOT from that one, but that is by far the most common one.
Lighting here should be bright bright light, but most cannot tolerate full sun all day long. In fact, filtered bright light appears best (like it would get being mounted on a tree trunk).
Most require some humidity as dry, hot winds seem to make them shrivel. On the other hand, it is possible to overwater them when it's not warm out (can can rot). One of the reasons they are mounted on a board, usually with a sphagnum moss backing, is to prevent this occurence. They tolerate a lot of dryness, but once completely dried, need to be watered well soon, or they will die. Some water them when they are too dry by dropping them face down in water for an hour or so, but that is usually not necessary as long as they are watered frequently in warm weather (I water mine as often as I can remember- usually 2-7 x a week in the summers, 1-2x a week in the fall and spring, and usually never in winter.. but then it rains here in winter).
They are usually sold mounted on a board, or on the side of a dirt-filled hanging wire pot with sphagnum between the dirt/pot and the plant. This latter way of mounting is nice because you can mount several on such a pot and can plant something inside the pot that has a wimpy root system (such as succulents). Sometimes they are sold just sitting in a regular pot, but are prone to rot this way if watered too much, and quickly outgrow such a situation. A board mounting is nice as that leaves them lots of room to grow. Eventually these plants get enourmous so either need to mounted an a huge board, or on/in a tree. Not sure what you will do about this in your climate, as they don't tolerate much frost- greenhouse or indoor? I have no experience with either situation.
As for fertilizing, I use miracle grow in some waterings about once a month.... I really have no idea it that is best. Some recommend toss something fermenting (like banana peels) at the top of the board, but, again, no idea if this is necessary or even recommended. But it is 'natural' for these plants to collect litter/leaves in nature there, and that might provide some nutrition perhaps.
Here in So California it is an extremely easy plant to grow and maintain... until it gets larger. Then it has to find a 'permanent' place to live (I have had ones too large to lift, and I have friends who have had huge ones place in forks of trees with cranes as they have ended up weighing many hundreds of pounds). If mounted on a tree, their roots will eventually grow into the tree and you can 'untie them' (usually I mount them with nylon stockings or wire or just 'sit' in tree forks) or apply them onto large boards, supported by chains and leave them that way forever.
There are MANY species of staghorn fern, and some are nearly as easy... and many are too tropical for me to grow outdoors. However, I am having good luck with P veitchii, hillii, superbum (this is a real monster) and adinum (another real monster, and a bit different). P veitchii is great as it takes full sun here, is blueish grey, and very drought tolerant. I would say it is even easier than bipinnatum... but not sure about indoors or in a greenhouse.
Thank you palmbob for all of the info you were willing to share.