Staghorn Fern (Platycerium superbum)

Staghorn Fern
Platycerium superbum

25 year old platycerium superbum under a dragon tree

Just lovely!!!

Thank you Kell! And it needs very little care.

I have 5 of these but they are not as big as yours. 3 are on boards and need to be on bigger ones but I do not have a clue. And 2 are in 10 inch pots. I love them!

I should go feed them to get them bigger!

Amazing plant!

I always wanted one and now seeing this shot, I really need one! Maybe I can sneak one of the five Kell has, she'll never notice!

Kell, thought I'd share ideas on mounting a plant this large: First, it is mounted on a
3' x 3' piece of plywood. I had to remove a lot of the dead matter behind the plant in order to flatten it out, otherwise they tend to be bulbous in the mid section. Then I put screws in each corner and on each side and mounted it with plasticized electrical wire. The fish line is OK for smaller ones, but larger ones need more support. Then, I had to mount it on a block wall with half inch polyester rope. The mounted plant probably weighs 100+ pounds. This was about 3 years ago and as you can see, it's just about outgrown it's home already. I do not look forward to remounting it on a 4' square board!
I would not use plywood again because the layers tend to separate over time. Have fun!

Oh I do not think I will have fun. LOL. THANKS for the info! I was thinking of just mounting the board on a new board. You didn't use and spagnum or anything similar did you?

I was just outside looking at mine and I see all over them except the poor one that is inside and looking poorly, have tons of dead leaves behind them and in their crown from the vines above them. I guess I better clean them out.

I was afaid they wouldn't grow here outside over winter, but they seem to love it outside. I rarely water them even! What do you feed yours?

Here is my biggest one. I forgot to mention, see how it is growing around the side of the board. I guess I should do something about it fast.

This message was edited May 1, 2008 3:51 PM

Here is the next one. It has room below but not much left on the sides.

Sue, I got these 2 from eBay; I think 2 years ago. I tried other ones too but killed them This type seems to love it here. The more tropical ones do not seem too.

Now the 2 in pots I got at the SF Flower and Garden Show 2 years ago Sue. They had a different name on them so I grabbed them. They each are smaller but already have the fertile frond hanging down. However they are not ready for a pic. LOL. One was kept inside and looks poor and this one is under my Japanese maple and wisteria so it is covered with falling dead leaves. I think I may be arrested for plant abuse. My other one is on a board and I have had it the longest. I got that from a friend I once had and love it the most. It however is too far behind other plants to get a good pic of it.

Zone10, I have a small staghorn fern in a pot that I want to transfer to a board. I read that you should put sphagnum moss under it and attach with fishing line. The only sphagnum moss I could find at HD was sphagnum peat moss and it seems a little fine. Could you give me some suggestions on how to transfer and attach it?

Kell, all of your plants look very healthy! Even the one covered with debris. Whatever you are doing, keep on!

To answer your questions...I did put a little sphagnum moss behind the plant when I remounted it, but not very much. There was so much dead matter already present, I used the moss only to help fill in gaps during mounting. You may want to remount your plants before they wrap too far around the current wood because it will make it easier to flatten out.

I'm glad to hear your plants do OK outside in winter. They really are tough plants, especially as they age. As for feeding, because it's below a tree, a lot of "stuff" falls into it: leaves, bird poop, seeds, you name it. Although, about twice a year I fill a spray bottle with 10% fish emulsion and spray it all over. I have no idea if this does anything, but it makes me feel like I've contributed! LOL Good luck! Sue

P.S. The attached picture is the same plant about 3 yrs. ago

Hello Bobyrd! I am glad to give you a bit of "advice" on mounting your staghorn, but I am far from an expert. First, keep in mind younger ferns are vulnerable to temperature and moisture variations. The moss behind the plant helps retain moisture without remaining wet too long. So, I would definitely mount your plant on some moss. Probably a good amount of it. Depending on the size of your plant, choose a board that is solid wood (I learned the hard way, not to use plywood), then place nails around the face of the board. Mount the plant on moss, then secure it with fishing line. Don't get line that is too thin, as it tends to cut into the plant more easily. Your plant will look a bit unsightly when you first mount it because of the mounting materials. Soon however, new fronds will grow over the line and you will never know. Also, avoid the growing point as you wrap the fish line. You can kill the plant if you damage this area.

Sorry I'm so wordy! Good luck! Sue

Thanks. I'll let you know how it survives the move.

Just found your plant again, Sue! Oh just so special. Post a new photo please, I bet it is even more spectacular. It sure changed in 3 years looking at the photo you posted on May 2nd.

Hi Kell. Here's a recent picture of my Staghorn fern, remounted on a 4' square board. This past winter it fell off the old mount during a rainstorm. I think it was just too heavy. It was a lot of work to remount so hopefully this larger board will do for a while.

How are your ferns doing? Pictures please?

Sue

I inherited this healthy plant about two years ago. I think I'm going to have to include these plants in my will!! :-D

Just so gorgeous! I love them both! I would kill for your first one.

I need to learn to remount mine! I saw a photo on Flickr where a guy has his mounted on driftwood and has them all on a wall inside. It looks just great. And they grow great inside. A pain to water them though inside!

Mine are good except one is hung under a thick intertwining of wisteria vine now and rain just could not get down to it. I didn't notice till just last week. I may have lost that one.

Thanks Kell and good luck with your wisteria-hidden fern!

I have a staghorn that I mounted on a wood board and covered with spaghnum about 4 years ago. I take it in during the winter here in new england and have had no problems up till now. The main fern leaves seem to be "drying" out. They have gotten wrinkly and the tips are starting to turn brown. The small newer fronds are doing ok. I keep the fern inside over the kitchen sink for humidity and have not had any winter issues in past years. I do keep it watered (by soaking in sink) as needed.
Does anyone have an idea what is wrong?

Thanks

Vtdog, sorry to hear about your fern. I wish I could give you some insight but I have no experience growing ferns indoors. I am interested in the answer to this too, so hopefully someone will chime in.

Thanks, I bought the plant over the internet and it has done very well (so far) and has spread out to over a foot diameter. I put it out after Memorial day each year, but this year the winter was long and cold so a lot of heat was on. No one here knows anything about Staghorns and I was hoping that someone on the forum would have an idea to help

I had to put these picture up,I was at a business friends house today,talking out the front of his house and I looked up and saw the biggest staghorn I personally have ever seen - He said it was 30 years old

Had to add this as well,one more after this one,I guess 10ft from top to bottom!!!

The third and last of this magnificent home grown specimen! Unblemished as far as I could see!

OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FANTASTIC!

Yes,I am jealous!
The amazing thing is he then proceeded to show me at least 20 plants of different sizes,across the road high up on a stony road cutting that had grown over the years from wind borne spores from his plant.!

Sounds like it must be so happy there! Did he give you one?

I should be so lucky to have staghorns self seeding all over my yard! I have had a huge one for over 30 years and not a baby one insight! I wonder what the spores grab onto. Old leaves in the crook of 2 limbs?

Well funnily enough no,they are growing in amongst rocky outcrops,unusual for this plant so they may not have a long life although some are at least a few years old,they certainly look out of place where they are growing and no I did not take any as I do have some in my garden,there is a stone wall about 10ft from this fern and there would be around 10 x 2inch size plants growing amongst the rocks as well,if you are interested I will take a couple of shots and upload them.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170658676050&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

This is one for sale on Ebay at the moment
Cheers
Graeme

Those are fantastic plants! Thanks for posting Lynchy!

I don't see any wires/supports. Are the ferns naturally attached to the trees? I just remounted my 35 year old plant and it was quite a chore. I used heavy gauge, plastic covered wire. Sure wish I had a nice tree like your friend has, on which to mount my plants.

Funny thing, I often think of buying more stagnorn ferns but I'm too old...they will certainly outlive me!

Did you remount the second fern, Sue? I so need to remount 2 of mine. Do you put the wire on the outside of the shield? I just can't figure out how to do it without hurting the plant.

Please post pics, Greame. I would love to see them. How cold does it get where you are? That one in eBay is just grand. I wonder how much it will go for. I would buy it if I was near by. It is great when you can buy time.

After I left this thread last night I went to eBay looking at them. Shoot, so many I want. LOL. Hard to figure out which ones would grow here where it is not tropical.

Kell, I remounted both ferns. Here's how: Clean most of the loose, dead matter from behind the plant; place it over a large clump of waterlogged sphagnum moss on a 3/4" piece of plywood. When it is centered on the plywood, hammer several large nails into the wood, around the perimeter of the plant. Using heavy gauge rubber covered wire or synthetic rope, criss cross it over the front and bottom of the plant, wrapping it around a nail after each cross. I do cover the new fronds, but am careful not to cross over the growing point. When finished the plant looks terrible, but once new fronds grow over the wire, it looks good as new. This may be more than you asked for, but got carried away... :-/

Here's a picture of my second/smaller plant right after remounting. Next picture is my old girl.

This is several months after remounting. It's on a 16 sq ft. board. Don't know what I'm going to do when it outgrows this one!

No, I need all the help I can get. Be carried away! LOL THANKS. So what kind of wire do you use, from HD? Where do you find the board?

Just love your photo of "your old girl" and all the surrounding plants. Love those aeoniums too

Check out the bulk wire section at Home Depot. They have rolls and rolls of wire, chain, rope, etc.. Just pick the one you like best. I don't think it really matters much. Just make sure it won't succumb to moisture (rust). I prefer one with rubber insulation because it won't cut into the plant. Rope will do fine for smaller plants, but some rope tends to stretch over time. Plywood is very common and can be found at any home improvement store. Most stores sell it by the sheet, usually 8' lengths, so you will have to have it cut to size. Plywood is not cheap, so you may also want to check with a local contractor or on Craigslist for leftovers.

Good luck and please send pictures of your newly mounted plants!

Thought I'd send along a picture of a "volunteer" Stag. Found him at the base of a palm. The East side of the house must be the perfect spot--this will be the fifth clump!

How lucky you are! Looks like a healthy plant. Then again, when plants choose their own spot they tend to do well. Thanks for sharing...keep us posted?!