Plant Profile: Fabulous Ferns
Delicate, both in appearance and temperament, ferns are a beautiful addition to any home.
Their soft leaf structure and often bizarre root systems make them an interesting piece of living art. Sensitive to drought and heat, they aren’t for everyone.
But if you’re willing to give them the time and attention they crave, you’ll be rewarded with a gorgeous display of luxurious greenery that most other plants just can’t offer.
Birds nest type ferns
Ferns are a large family of over 10,000 species of plant that reproduce via spores.
They have neither seeds nor flowers, but their leaf patterns are some of the more beautiful in the house-plant world. They aren’t big on change; some species of fern have remained unchanged at the molecular level for over 180 million years!
That said, there are ferns that have adapted to almost any environment. The idea of a fern only living in a sheltered, damp, mossy woodland knoll represents only a small portion of known species.
Maidenhair ferns
There are ferns that grow in arid deserts, high altitude mountains and marshy bog-lands. Their common growth habit is more accurately defined by an ability to thrive in places where blooming plants cannot.
But those damp moss-filled-forest loving, shelter-seekers are the more common for homes and they make up the majority of ferns that we offer.
Flowers Talk Tivoli carries a wide assortment of house-trained ferns to suit any style.
From classic Bostons to artsy-looking stag horns, whatever your style or decor we’ll help you find something just for you. Generally all the ferns we carry will require lower light conditions, as well as protection from heat and draughts. A room with a north facing window, a sheltered east or west facing window or the far side of a south facing window (out of reach of direct sunlight) is best.
Our ferns also prefer high humidity conditions; they don’t like to dry out between watering and suffer in particularly dry air. If you need to, we recommend a humidifier or misting them at least once a day.