My Staghorn Antler Fern is dieing. Am I not watering it enough? Or is it not getting enough light? Any tips on it's care are welcomed. It was bought on Easter day. The photo of it being healthy was taken in August. The photos of it dieing were taken today.
Is that plant in soil? These are epiphytes and might do better on a bit of timber. Light shouldn't be an issue. They like humidity, so I would mist spray it... Ed
I've been spraying it. How often do you recommend spraying it? The plant is in soil. It was started in soil by the grower and when I bought it I transplanted it into a larger pot. I think I'll try growing it on wood if it is not too late for it to recover.
i have all mine hanging from my trees out side in no soil at all, not sure were you are but if in south they do very well by themselves.i started all of them by stringing spagm moss to base with wire and hang them outside and they will fill in and be on there own from then on.one is near 3 feet in diameter in just 4 years.
Mine wouldn't stand a chance outside. I'm up in New Jersey so it gets too cold in the winter for Staghorn Antler Ferns.
Like toutlan says sphagnum moss and wire is one option. If it can't go outside you can put it on some unpainted/untreated timber with a stocking or pantyhose, I think you call them. Make sure the timber is wet prior to attaching. Make sure as much of the plant is flush with the timber as possible. Try not to put the stocking near the "eye" or middle of the plant, see if you can tuck it in behind the growing part, if you can. I'd spray at least every 2nd day and you can also put banana skins on top of the plant, not the growing part, as they seem to like potassium. Not too many though. Hope I helped Ed
From your photos, it looks as though the pot may not have drain holes. If such is the case, that is the plants' real problem. Too wet.
I grow several of these, and your certainly looks to be wanting for water. Mine are also in soil, incedentally. The two I have at the office on 4" pots are watered weekly, but they're shaded by a Norfolk Pine and some pothos, and have no exposure to natural light. My Stag at the house is in an 8" pot, and is watered twice to thrice weekly, depending on how much sun it gets throughout the days. Sorry to say, but these are rather temperamental, and are more likely to fail with an inexperienced collector than to thrive, or even simply 'survive.' I know dozens of seasoned fern collectors that won't go near any species of Stag, despite having decades of experience behind them. I was just too young and stupid to know I wasn't supposed to be able to do it. ;-)
Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania used to have spectacular staghorns in their hothouses. In southern Brevard County, Florida, Valkaria Tropical Gardens (where ti plants and crotons come from) has a humungous staghorn hanging by stout chains from a huge live oak limb. I'm pretty sure that it and many others in the area aren't watered during the annual dry season (roughly now until the end of May).
I suspect they likely have the humidity they need in those environments, though. Indoors in New Jersey, where she likely has baseboard heaters, it's serious nosebleed season!
Mine have been happily growing in a basket with a couple inches of sphagnum moss for the lining, then the lining was filled with orchid bark chips to about an inch from the rim. It gets watered with the sprayer, a really good soaking when dry, usually once a week over the kitchen sink so it can drain without making a mess, then it gets hung back up. It gets bright dapple light.
Yeah, it is baseboard heat, though today I don't need it because it is so very warm outside. And there is a humidifier in the upstairs bathroom but that may be too far away to have an affect upon the Staghorn Antler Fern.
Yup... Now if you put the staghorn in the bathroom with the humidifier... ;-) Provided you have a window, I'd say that would make it quite happy.
Agreed. Florida has a degree of humidity all year. I forgot to mention that one of my neighbors has quite a big one hanging from a laurel oak!
