Boston Fern

You have probably noticed that many traditional houseplants are now sold as annual hanging plants. One common example is the Boston fern. I had two big, beautiful ones this summer hanging in my gazebo. Unfortunately, I did not have a place to move them inside and will need to buy new ones next spring. Hopefully, some of you were able to move in your Boston ferns for the winter or maybe you already had an indoor Boston fern. 

The Boston fern is a mutation of the sword fern that was found near Boston in the 1890’s. It soon became a fixture of the overstuffed parlors of the time, but later became known as an old-fashioned plant. In the past twenty years, it has regained popularity. Today it has many uses including specimen pedestals, accent for tables, baskets, contrast for dish gardens or group plantings, and indoor groundcovers. 

The Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Bostoniensis’) has graceful, arching fronds up to 3 feet long with flat 3- to 4-inch closely set leaflets. In addition, there are several mutations with different frond types. ‘Bostoniensis’ is more graceful and drooping than other varieties. ‘Fluffy Ruffles’ is a smaller plant, which grows more erect than other varieties. It has dark green fronds that grow about 12 inches long. The foliage has a finely ruffled appearance. ‘Dallas’ is also a smaller, compact plant with a curlier leaf. It is also tolerant of lower light and lower humidity. 

As with all houseplants, proper water and light are key to success in the home. Medium to high light is ideal. They do best with sun in winter and diffused bright light to partial shade in the summer. Gradual yellowing and decline usually indicate poor light. Move the plant or prune away shade-producing vegetation.

As with most ferns, the Boston fern prefers a humid environment. This is hard to achieve in most homes. Because the plant is sensitive to chlorine and other chemicals often found in tap water, regular misting is generally not recommended. Try to always keep the soil moist, but not soggy. The plants can be allowed to dry out between waterings if not excessively fertilized. Remember there is a fine line between moist and soggy. This plant’s foliage and roots rot in wet conditions.

Other maintenance tips include cutting older fronds back to soil level to encourage fresh new growth. General grooming of brown leaflets is desirable. Sometimes, spore-bearing spots (sori) will appear on the underside of leaflets. These are normal and should not be removed. If you prefer to fertilize, use a general indoor plant fertilizer at one-quarter recommended strength every 4-6 weeks. This plant can take being root-bound, so repot infrequently. Repot only as needed to renew crowded or overgrown plants. Simply move the overgrown plant into a bigger pot or divide it into several new plants.

Finally, place your Boston fern where people are not tempted to touch the fronds. Fronds will not tolerate being handled and will turn brown.

Originally published in Canton Daily Ledger on 11-13-1999