Does anyone know if you can grow staghorn ferns in a terrarium?

19 years ago

Hi, I recently bought several staghorn ferns in 3" pots at the local Fred Meyers store(they each have 2-3, 6"-8" fronds/leaves plus at least a couple of smaller fronds). No I don't know which kind they are. The plant tags in the pots actualy call them "tropical plants". They where realy cheep and I couldn't resist buying them but with the freezing weather outside we've had to keep the central heating turned up and it's quite dry in the house. Right now I have them in clear storage containers with the tops set a little kitty cornered so they don't build up condensation. I had them sealed at first and ended up with dried up brown spots on a couple of fronds from where the condensation had dripped on them.

I am planning to convert a 90 gallon aqaurium into a terrarium and was thinking about mounting the staghorns and hanging them inside against the back of the tank so if they grow to big I can fairly easily move them later.

Does anyone know about or have you tried growing staghorns in a terrarium?

Thank you, Penny

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Comments (15)

garyfla_gw
19 years ago
Hi
have never tried them in a terrarium but would think they would do well,probably too well lol.I have a "baby" one
in the shadehouse that is 5 feet in both directions and it's just starting to grow.lol Definitely keep them removable.
I would suspect they're Bifurcatum if they were cheap as the rarer types get quite expensive. These can and do get enormous. A local greenhouse has one hanging from a log chain that is 15 feet in diameter.
There are supposed to be miniature types but have been unable to locate them.
Good luck with your experiment.
Gary
nathanhurst
19 years ago
Staghorns are from QLD, they are not tropical, rather subtropical. I expect you won't have enough light.

They are almost certainly bifurcatum, as these are easily propagated from offsets. The others require cloning or growth from spores.
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sahoyaref
19 years ago
I grow mine in my terrarium. It is very small, and it actually grows extremely slowly. So as long as you keep them in pots or on removable mounts, you should be find for a few years. They seem to require some air circulation though, so I'd keep the top cracked or put a small fan in. Mine has been rotting some fronds lately, though it may be staying too wet from being too close to the waterfall.
mdahms1979
19 years ago
When happy these plants grow fairly fast. I purchased a small plant in a 2" pot about two years ago and it has completely covered a 8"x10" mount and is about 2' across.
mrbreeze
19 years ago
I suspect they would do fine in a terrarium. And if you still don't believe it, I'll say it to...they grow BIG. I had one in a pot that was tied to the top of my bromeliad tree. Earlier last year it got too big and top heavy and now its in a hanging pot. They're super easy and very cool plants ...just plan ahead for when you have to pull them out of the tank. While you're filling your tank w/ plants that will outgrow it...might as well add some Nepenthes pitcher plants and some creeping fig, ficus pumilla. :)

and post pics!
sahoyaref
19 years ago
So how come my staghorn fern isn't growing that well? Can you successful people tell me exactly what conditions yours are getting?
dfourer
19 years ago
staghorns grow outdoors in Los Angeles, where the humidity is low and the summers are quite dry. I once lived there. Now in Chicago.

----David
mrbreeze
19 years ago
Sa, from the time mine was tiny to about a year ago, it was tied (in a pot lined w/ plastic wrap) to the top of my bromeliad tree. It got decent light from a south window and from some fl. lights but not GREAT light. I would water it with r/o water periodically. I'd pretty well drench it and then ignore it for a good week or two. Often when I would next water, it had become SUPER light from being so dry.

It got too big so i de-mounted it from the tree and this past summer it was in my backyard. It hung under an oak tree for awhile and then hung from a post where it could get a bit more light. Currently its hanging from the ceiling in one of my plant areas. In fact, I just posted some pics on the orchid forum and you can see the staghorn in one of them. I kinda feel that its just time that makes them big. It doesn't seem fussy at all and tolerates really bad conditions so I think just wait a bit longer. Maybe someone else has some better tips, or you could try the moss/fern forum.
nathanhurst
19 years ago
You can feed them banana skins and tea leaves if you want them to grow. But sahoyaref, do you really want it to get big? It will completely swamp any other plants you have in there. Why not leave it small and suitable for a terrarium :)
sahoyaref
19 years ago
Well, it's really only in my terr. while it's small, because I figured it would love the high humidity and get a good, healthy start in life. It didn't really grow outside of my terrarium, either. I think it must be too moist in my terr. though. I will try mounting it (taking it out of it's pot). I also want to mount mine onto a brom. tree eventually. I just haven't found a big enough piece of wood yet. . . might end up making my own out of PVC pipes or paper mache. =) (Just kidding about the paper mache). It has to be natural-looking though. I hope to pass on a giant staghorn-fern to my plant loving child(ren) when I die. =) And huge orchids, and a monstera, and a chinese fan palm. . . one of them better like plants!
njdjs
19 years ago
I have a 10 gallon terrarium and have my staghorns growing in there. I have no lights on it just in the window and they been living in there about 2 years now....
brooz
19 years ago
I grow mine outdoors on a shaded patio in summer, indoors near an east-facing window in winter. The brown spotting sounds like overwatering. Mine do way better when I underwater, and from what I understand, the 40 to 50% humidity of DFW is enough for the trichomes to keep the plant going with a good soaking every other week.

http://www.fernfactory.com/shop/browning.asp

Here is a link that might be useful: good staghorn info
sahoyaref
19 years ago
Thanks for the link! I guess I'll just have to be patient and see what happens. It is putting up a new frond, and I do grow it outside in the summer (burned it last summer though), so I'll just try to keep it less moist and mist it a little more.
greenjay88
19 years ago
air flow would be very important.. this plant is way more fun when it starts to grow fronds.. moss in a big hanging basket is nice.. or on a log or mounted on wood if you have the slowwer growwing variety.i love this plant.. and it grows well among orchids, nepenthes,jungle cacti,(epi"s).e.t.c. in the greenhouse..it would be neat to let on take over a whole back wall of a terrarium..
Riddle66
9 years ago
I would like to invite anyone who loves staghorn ferns to our group on facebook. We are an international group of regular people who share photos and advice about platycerium.

Here is a link that might be useful: staghorn fern owners group

Does anyone know if you can grow staghorn ferns in a terrarium?

Comments (15)

garyfla_gw

nathanhurst

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