Platycerium

( plat - ee - SIR - ee - um )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Staghorn Ferns or Elkhorn Ferns, this genus of plants is native to tropical and temperate climate areas in South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Guinea. Plants in this genus are mostly epiphytic, attaching themselves to trees and other plants or structures, and form large root balls from which green fronds emerge. These ferns can grow to be 2-3 feet wide and are slow growing, adding about 4 feet in 10-20 years' time.

Platycerium Species and Varietals

The genus Platycerium includes 18 species, and is a member of the plant family Polypodiaceae. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Platycerium alcicorne
This ornamental fern species is cultivated widely, and is native to Madagascar, the Seychelles and Comoros Islands, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Platycerium bifurcatum (Elkhorn Fern, Staghorn Fern)
This species is native to Java, New Guinea, New South Wales, Queensland, and Lord Howe Island. These plants reach about 35 inches in height and 31 inches wide, and produce grey-green fronds. Hardy to 41 degrees Fahrenheit, this plant is commonly kept as an houseplant or greenhouse specimen.

Platycerium coronarium
This species of Staghorn Fern is found in Southeast Asia, and reaches just under 10 feet tall and 5 feet wide at maturity. The lower spore-bearing leaves on these ferns have a thinner look to them than other Staghorn fern fronds do, and dangle below the root ball in a pendulous manner.

Platycerium grande (Giant Staghorn Fern, Capa de Leon, Dapong Repolyo, Air Cabbage)
This critically endangered species of Staghorn fern is native to the Philippines. Overcollection of these wild plants has led to a dramatic wild population decrease in recent years, a problem exacerbated by the difficulty of propagation of these plants via spores.

Platycerium hillii (Hill's Staghorn Fern)
An Australian native plant, this species of Staghorn fern produces green to grey-green foliage from a basal mound of epiphytic roots.

Platycerium superbum (Staghorn Fern)
This species of Staghorn is native to Australia and is widely cultivated as an ornamental garden plant in temperate and tropical regions of the world. This species has become an invasive in Hawai'i, where it was introduced in the 1990s. These plants are grown as indoor houseplants or greenhouse specimens in many cooler regions of the world, as well. Fronds are green.

Did you know? The largest staghorn fern in the world is 10 feet wide and 6 feet tall!
This impressive specimen is located in Florida, USA, and it has been named 'Big Fred the Staghorn'.

Platycerium veitchii (Silver Elkhorn Fern, Silver Staghorn Fern)
This large, rare Staghorn fern species is easy to grow and is native to Queensland, Australia. The fronds in these species are green with a silver or greyish tint to them.