Boston Fern

Botanical Name: Nephrolepsis exaltata

Boston fern is the most popular of the fern species that originated in Central America and became a fast favorite in parlors and porches in North America during the Victorian era.

Long, arching fronds densely covered with leaflets -- called pinnae -- makes this lush, graceful house plant ideal for a pedestal or a hanging basket.

Today, there are several new cultivars that are getting attention, including 'Fluffy Ruffles' with curly fronds and a dwarf variety 'Timii' that makes an elegant table accent.

Caring for Boston ferns is easy, as long as you meet their need for high humidity. Mist daily or stand the plant on a saucer of wet pebbles. Some browning of frond tips is normal. Trim off brown tips with scissors to keep it looking neat.

Repot in spring, when the roots have filled the container. Move the fern to a pot that's only slightly larger. Want to control its size? Remove the fern from its container and prune off about 1/4 of its roots. Then, repot it in the same pot it was in before. This is a good time to divide the fern, if you want.

Origin: Central America

Height: Fronds are generally 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) long.

Light: Bright light. No direct sun.

Water: Keep soil constantly moist. Watch large ferns and hanging basket ferns because they can dry out quickly.

Humidity: High humidity.

Temperature: Normal room temperatures 60-75°F, 16-24°C

Soil: Peat moss based potting mix.

Fertilizer: Feed every 2 weeks year-round with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted by half.

Propagation: Division. You can cut away new plants that grow outside the main root ball and pot them separately. Or, divide a large root ball into smaller clumps with a sharp knife and pot them up.