Fern, Houseplant (Various)

Fern, Houseplant Plant Features

Ferns are among the most beautiful houseplants. With lacy fronds and a classic texture, they work well in just about any interior design scheme, from country casual to formal. There's a wider variety of ferns available than most folks realize, so there's abundant opportunity to decorate with these houseplants.

Ferns look beautiful mixed together, but they're also a wonderful choice to combine with other houseplants, especially larger-leafed varieties so you can enjoy the dramatic contrast in leaf texture. Pay attention to color, too -- certain ferns pair better with other houseplants because of coloring, overall plant, shape and other factors. The good news, though, is that you can't go wrong with ferns.

Fern Questions?
Our experts are happy to help. Just drop us an email and one of our houseplant experts will get back to you!

Fern, Houseplant Growing Instructions

Most ferns grow best in medium to bright light, but shielded from direct sun, especially during the hottest part of the day. If ferns get too much light, the leaves can suffer from sunburn and have a bleached look.

Water most ferns enough to keep the soil moist, but not wet or soggy. Like most houseplants, ferns will rot if they're kept too wet for too long.

Keep ferns healthy and beautiful by providing them with average to above-average relative humidity levels. Their love of moist air makes ferns perfect houseplants for bright bathrooms or kitchens. If ferns don't get enough humidity, their fronds may turn brown and dry prematurely. Because they like humidity, most ferns are ideal plants for terrariums.

Get tips for shopping for and growing beautiful houseplant ferns.

Houseplant ferns are not intended for human or animal consumption.

Water

Medium water needs
Light

Indoors: High light

Indoors: Medium light
Colors

Green
Special Features

Purifies the air

Super-easy to grow

Complement your Fern, Houseplant

Bromeliad
Bromeliads are wonderful partners for ferns, adding fun textures and bold colors.

Nerve Plant
Accent ferns' fluffy textures with the nerve plant's attractive variegated leaves.

Our favorite varieties

Autumn Fern

Dryopteris erythrosora

Autumn fern has shiny green fronds that are flushed with bronzy-orange as they emerge, giving the houseplant its seasonal common name.

Bear Paw Fern

Aglaomorpha coronans

Bear paw fern offers thick, leathery, dark green fronds and has a coarser texture than many of its cousins. It's quite a dramatic houseplant!

Bird's Nest Fern

Asplenium nidus

Bird's nest fern has a different look than its friends; this beautiful houseplant has thick, non-divided leaves that branch out from a central point. This gives it the look of a lush, living bird's nest.

Caterpillar Fern

Polypodium formosanum

This attractive fern has soft, finely divided mid-green foliage. Over time, it develops creeping stems along the ground that sprout new leaves, making it a fun plant for large terrariums. It's also sometimes called grub fern.

Cobra Bird's Nest Fern

Asplenium nidus 'Cobra'

A fun variation on traditional bird's nest fern, cobra has fronds that branch and divide at the tips, giving it an exotic houseplant look.

Silver Lace Fern

Pteris ensiformis 'Evergemiensis'

One of the most lovely ferns around, this elegant houseplant has finely divided fronds cheerfully variegated in silvery white.

Green Fantasy Fern

Nephrolepsis exaltata 'Green Fantasy'

A fun twist on the traditional varieties, this Boston fern relative has more finely divided fronds, giving it an even softer, more elegant texture.

Florida Ruffle Boston Fern

Nephrolepis exaltata 'Florida Ruffle'

This medium-size variety has more finely divided fronds than traditional ferns, giving it a soft, full look.

Fluffy Ruffle Fern

Nephrolepis exaltata 'Fluffy Ruffle'

Fluffy Ruffle fern looks like you might expect; it has an extra, soft and fluffy look thanks to its finely divided fronds.

Japanese Bird's Nest Fern

Asplenium antiquum

This bird's nest fern looks has medium green leaves with a little bit of a wave to them. It's a slow-growing houseplant, but easy to care for.

Kangaroo Fern

Microsorum diversifolium

A fun houseplant, kangaroo fern has shiny, dark green fronds that aren't as finely divided as most of its cousins. It creeps along the soil with fuzzy stems that can droop over the sides of its pot.

Lemon Button Fern

Nephrolepis cordifolia 'Lemon Button'

Lemon button fern is a cute houseplant that has golden-green foliage that's divided into cute, rounded buttons that run up the fronds.

Lucky Lemon Fern

Nephrolepis cordifolia 'Lucky Lemon'

With deep green fronds, Lucky Lemon fern is a winner due to its fast growth rate and ease as a houseplant.

Mahogany Fern

Didymochlaena truncatula

Mahogany fern has earned its common name because the new fronds emerge a reddish-brown color before maturing to rich green.

Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum hispidulum

An exceptionally lovely houseplant, maidenhair fern offers divided fronds with a pleasant arching habit. You'll love it!

Delta Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum raddianum

A beautiful type of maidenhair fern, this one is a little larger than other varieties -- but just as elegant!

Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum tenerum

This type of maidenhair fern has large fronds, giving it a little different texture. It pairs perfectly with just about every other plant!

Rosy Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum tenerum 'Scutum Roseum'

Rosy maidenhair fern has pink-flushed new growth.

Austral Gem Fern

Asplenium 'Austral Gem'

Austral Gem fern shows off thick, waxy fronds that almost look like plastic! It's an easy-to-grow houseplant that thrives in low or medium light and moist potting mix. It grows about 12 inches tall and wide.

Australian Tree Fern

Cyathea cooperi

Australian tree fern features large green leaves accented with bronze-brown hairs on the bottom. As it grows, it develops a trunk and a tree-like habit, becoming 10 feet tall and wide. It's hardy outdoors only in Zone 10, but can be grown as a houseplant.

Black Rabbit's Foot Fern

Davallia fejeensis

Black rabbit's foot fern shows off finely divided fronds and fuzzy gray-brown rhizomes that creep along the top of the soil or cascade over the edge of the pot. It can grow 18 inches tall and wide indoors over time, but usually stays smaller.

Blue Star Fern

Phlebodium aureum mandaianum

Blue star fern is vigorous and easy to grow, producing blue-green fronds with ruffled edges. It grows 12 inches tall and wide. You might also see it sold as Polypodium.

Brake Fern

Pteris cretica 'Mayii'

Brake fern, also called table fern or Cretan brake fern, is an excellent houseplant with variegated fronds and a medium growth rate.

Bronze Venus Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum hispidulum 'Bronze Venus'

Bronze Venus maidenhair fern offers a graceful texture with lush green new fronds that emerge a bronzy color. It can grow to 16 inches tall and wide.

Glowstar Fern

Pellaea 'Glowstar'

Glowstar fern is a tidy, compact variety that shows off shiny, dark green fronds. It's perfect for terrariums and mixing with brighter humidity-loving plants like fittonia. Glowstar fern grows up to 8 inches tall and wide. Photo by Exotic Angel® Plants fan Bainy Cyrus.

Hurricane Fern

Asplenium 'Hurricane', PPAF

This new selection features thick fronds that slightly twist and curl as they grow.

Rowerii Fern

Pteris cretica 'Rowerii'

With branched, divided fronds, Rowerii fern has a distinctive look that's right at home in contemporary homes and offices.

Sassy Fern

Nephrolepis exaltata 'Sassy'

A smaller variety of Boston fern, Sassy is a fun tabletop variety that also shines in hanging baskets.

Staghorn Fern

Platycerium bifurcatum

Staghorn fern is one of the most unusual varieties. It's often grown on a piece of wood and hung on a wall, where its fronds grow out and look dramatically like antlers. Because it doesn't need soil, water staghorn fern by misting or soaking it.

Tricolor Fern

Pteris quadriaurita tricolor

Not all ferns are green! Tricolor fern shows off reddish-and bronze new growth.

White Rabbit's Foot Fern

Humata tyermanii

White rabbit's foot fern is a fun variety that has dark green, divided leaves with fuzzy gray stems that look like cute little rabbit's feet.

Weeping Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum tenerum

This maidenhair fern has more arching fronds than its cousins, giving it a different shape that's perfect for hanging baskets.