Genus

Boston Fern Care Guide: Humidity Is the Whole Job

Full arching fronds, completely pet safe, and utterly dependent on humidity. Get that right and the rest is straightforward.

  • Family: Nephrolepidaceae
  • Native to Tropical regions worldwide
  • Moderate

Boston Ferns are the classic hanging-basket fern, with long arching fronds made up of hundreds of small leaflets.

They have a reputation for being difficult, which is not quite fair. They need one thing that most homes do not provide, and if you provide it they are easy.

What every Boston Fern wants

Humidity, above all else. Below about 50% the leaflets brown and drop, and no amount of watering fixes it. A bathroom with a window is the natural home for one.

Beyond that: medium indirect light, and soil kept consistently moist. Unlike most houseplants, letting a fern dry out completely usually kills the fronds that were open at the time.

Boston Ferns are non-toxic to cats and dogs.