Growing Beautiful Ferns as Houseplants

The Lovely Green Foliage of Ferns Makes Them an Ideal Decorative Accent in the Home

There are many species of unique and beautiful ferns. We use them mostly today as houseplants to decorate our homes. One of the things that all ferns have in common is that they reproduce using their spores. All of the popular species of ferns used as houseplants are not too difficult to grow as long as you know what kind of care each type of fern needs to thrive.

It's interesting to note that fossils show us that ferns have existed for the millennia. In fact, these plants are generally agreed by scientists to be responsible for most of the coal, oil and gas reserves that are used by us today. In some parts of the world, fern fronds are still used as bedding in mattresses! But we mostly grow them in our homes for decoration and beauty.

One of the most popular and beautiful ferns is the Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis'). This hardy houseplant grows long, graceful fronds. Some of the larger strains can grow up to five feet! The Boston fern is considered an ideal decorative plant. It has no flowers and no fragrance but is beautiful to look at! This fern is not difficult to grow with the proper care. Remember that they grow naturally on the forest floor and therefore need moisture and humidity. A lot of people put this fern in their bathrooms as a pretty green decoration plant. The humidity in the bathroom helps these ferns to thrive wonderfully!

Another beautiful fern to grow in the house is the Bird's Nest fern (Asplenium nidus). It has large glossy green leaves and is a lovely addition to any house plant collection. It doesn't really look like a traditional fern with its large leaves, but it is a fern. If properly cared for it can grow rapidly. The leaves can grow 6"-8" wide and reach a length of up to two feet long in just one season! It grows by sending new leaves up from the middle of the plant.