The plant popularly known as elkhorn is a fern scientifically called Platycerium, which is why it is also sometimes called Platycerium, but it also has other names such as staghorn or deer antler plant. It is named for the resemblance it has to the antlers of some animals, especially elk and deer. It belongs to the Polypodiaceae family and to the genus of Platicerios, made up of 17 species from different parts of the world.
If you want to know everything about how to take care of the elkhorn plant, keep reading this article in which you will find a practical guide on the care of the elkhorn fern.
How is the elkhorn fern
The main characteristic of the elkhorn fern is that it is an epiphytic plant, which means that it grows naturally by anchoring itself on other plants or surfaces, instead of burying its roots in the ground. In the specific case of the deer antler plant, its natural environment is the bark of the trees of the tropical forests of Australia.
Another remarkable aspect is that this fern has two types of leaves:
- The vertical and wide ones : which make it possible to grasp the branches due to their large size, as they grow wrapping the trunk of the plant to which it is attached.
- The pendants : these are covered with a characteristic fine fluff that acts as a protection for the blade. They are responsible for considering the hanging elk horn, and also for the nickname of this plant, since its appearance is reminiscent of the antlers of one of these animals.
The latter can reach a meter in length and any of the species of this fern can be grown as a houseplant and taken outside when the good weather arrives. Once you have seen the main characteristics of the elkhorn fern, let’s move on to what you have to take into account to know how to care for an elkhorn plant.
Watering the elkhorn fern
Like many epiphytic plants, the elkhorn fern needs a good dose of moisture, although it does not require as much watering as one might think. In fact, the best method of watering elkhorn is by immersion.
To water the staghorn fern by immersion, in the warm months, once a week takes your staghorn plant or platicer in a pot and immerse it in a container of lime-free water, to which you have added a small amount of fertilizer. specific for ferns or delicate plants. Keep it submerged in the water for about 2 hours, which will be the time necessary for the plant to absorb the water it needs. It is very important not to wet the leaves in this process, as they are prone to rot. In the cold months, the watering may be more spaced and the fertilizer will not be necessary.
Climate for the elkhorn fern
Like many tropical plants, the platicer enjoys stable temperatures throughout the year, in this case between 15ºC and 20ºC. Variation above or below this temperature range has many possibilities to affect this plant negatively, which is why it is common to grow it as a houseplant. Pay special attention not to place this plant near artificial sources of heat or cold, such as air conditioners or heaters, which could dry it out and negatively affect it.
Elkhorn fern compost and substrate
On the one hand, as we have mentioned in the irrigation section, the plasticizer appreciates a weekly contribution of liquid fertilizer in the irrigation water during the warm months. In the cold months, the plant absorbs less water and does not need the extra nutrients.
On the other hand, this plant needs very little substrate if you take into account the size it can reach, and the most important thing here is that it be a mix with good moisture retention. Mixes of peat with coconut coir, perlite, or pine needles can work well.
How the elkhorn reproduces
Reproducing the elkhorn by spores, as a fern that it is, can be quite a laborious task, especially for hobbyists without much experience, so this is an option that is very rarely taken.
When multiplying it, it is much more practical to take the small suckers that the plant produces when it is in optimal conditions, which are easy to separate with their own roots and transplant.
If your elkhorn does not produce suckers, you may need to increase the humidity a bit in summer by sprinkling water, but without over-wetting, the leaves, and check that your plant is away from drafts or sources of heat or cold.
Pests and diseases of elkhorn
It is not properly a disease, but one of the most frequent problems that this plant suffers is that many times a cloth is passed over the leaves, thinking that the protective lint that covers them is dust to be removed. This damages them severely, so it should never be done.
It is also common to find cases of leaf rot when they have become wet when watering them and, if the plant is weakened by environmental dryness or due to drafts, it can be attacked by red spider mites and mealybugs
