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Platycerium superbum
Also called Regal Elkhorn
Staghorn fern is an epiphytic fern from eastern Australia that grows on tree branches, with antler-like fronds and shield-shaped basal fronds that form a nest. Bright, humid conditions and mounting on wood or a board are the keys to growing it well.
Platycerium superbum, commonly known as the staghorn fern, is a Platycerium species of fern. It is native to Australia.
The fern is native to north-east New South Wales (north of Nabiac) and Queensland. It can also be found in parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and New Guinea. In propagated form, the plant is grown successfully as far south as Victoria.
In the wild, the nest structure captures falling leaves and other detritus which then decomposes to provide the plant with nutrients. The ferns are known to favour a slightly acidic environment and so to encourage growth in propagated plants, some growers recommend adding used tea leaves directly to the plant's "nest". Others recommend doing the same with banana peel.
Platycerium alcicorne · Elkhorn fern · Silver Elkhorn · Staghorn
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Platycerium superbum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
