Platycerium wallichiiWallich's Staghorn Fern

Platycerium wallichii is a staghorn fern of the seasonally dry monsoon forests of southern China and mainland Southeast Asia, and it carries two entirely different kinds of frond. Papery shield fronds clasp the mount and collect litter, while grey-green fertile fronds hang and fork like antlers.

It is used as a mounted feature on trunks, walls and shade structures, and in atria where a sculptural epiphyte is wanted at eye level.

Specifications

• Height0.6 to 1.2 metres
• Width0.8 to 1.5 metres
• Native toSouthern China, Myanmar, Thailand and northeastern India
• FoliageTwo frond types: upright papery shield fronds and pendulous grey-green forked fertile fronds; evergreen
• Growth rateSlow

Conditions

• SoilEpiphytic; grown on boards, trunks or in very open bark media rather than in soil
• LightPartial shade or bright filtered light
• WaterModerate; water thoroughly then allow to dry, and reduce sharply through the cool season
• ClimateThrives in seasonally dry tropical and subtropical monsoon conditions

Additional Features

• FormMounted epiphytic rosette of shield and antler fronds
• UsesIdeal for mounted features on trunks, walls and shade structures, and for atria and interior landscaping
• SpacingMount individually and allow 1 to 1.5 metres between specimens
• Low MaintenanceLeave the shield fronds in place as they brown; they feed the plant
• Pest ResistanceGenerally trouble-free where air movement is good
• Seasonal AppealThe forked fertile fronds extend through the wet season and hold their shape year round

Wallich's Staghorn Fern is a specimen plant rather than a mass planting subject, and it earns its place on a wall or a trunk as a piece of sculpture.