Bird's Nest Fern

Asplenium nidus

Bird's Nest Fern is a tropical evergreen fern with upright fronds creating a vase-shaped rosette with a nest-like center that is often used as a houseplant.  The glossy bright green strap-like fronds have dark midribs and undulating margins, while the undersides display sori in straight lines from the midrib to the margins.  Grows best in bright indirect sunlight and consistently moist well-drained soils.  As Bird's Nest is an epiphytic fern, high humidity is required.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS:  Low maintenance plant.  Drafts will cause the fronds to brown at edges.  Sensitive to chemical insecticides (use soap if necessary).  Watch for scale, nematodes, bacterial leaf diseases, and slugs.  

LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Naturalized Areas, Ponds and Streams, Indoors, and Containers.

COMPANION PLANTS: Arboricola, Ficus, Philodendron

IMAGES: (1)  Travisthurston, Asplenium-nidus, CC BY-SA 3.0, (2) brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, Asplenium nidus Fern - - Queen Liliuokalani Gardens, Hilo, Hawaii (2440454870), CC BY-SA 2.0, (3) I, KENPEI, Asplenium nidus 003, CC BY-SA 3.0, (4) Forest & Kim Starr, Starr-140909-1785-Asplenium nidus-sori-Wailua-Maui (24615268084), CC BY 3.0 US, (5) Forest and Kim Starr, Starr-061108-9605-Asplenium nidus-in pot-Hoolawa Farms-Maui (24500802809), CC BY 2.0

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.