How to care for a Blue Star Fern | Phlebodium Aureum

There are nearly 30.000 species of ferns but the Blue Star Fern is one of our favorites. This Fern is grown in the forests of South America and latches onto trees to grow. Ferns like a moist and high humid environment such as the one found in their tropical homeland.

Ferns are great air purifiers!

Not toxic. Nice!

Ferns like the soil to be moist at all times. Water frequently and make sure the soil does not dry out completely.

Shade please! Be careful not too overexpose your Blue Star Fern to direct light. It will not take very well to sunshine. In the forests this plant grows under (and on!) trees and is pretty much in shade full-time.

A bit of fertilizer can be applied but Ferns don't typically need it. Only use some diluted fertilizer in spring and summer. About once a month is enough.

Repot your fern when the pot becomes root bound. Because ferns grow quickly you may want to repot every year or every other year.

Cut away any fronds that have died or look otherwise unhealthy at the base.

Ferns can be exposed to bacterial blight which produces reddish-brown spots and rings that can turn purple. The disease is caused by a bacteria. If the leaves turn grey you are probably not watering the plant enough. Leaf tips burn when you expose the fern to sun or when you over-fertilize it.