Garden: Versatile Boston fern doubles as houseplant and as landscape accent

Boston fern is a common ornamental plant frequently grown as a houseplant in northern climates such as Greater Columbus.

It is a member of a tropical species of sword fern native to humid forests from northern South America through Mexico, Florida and the West Indies, where it can grow up to 7 feet tall.

Boston fern ( Nephrolepis exaltata Bostoniensis ) is a natural variant of the species that was discovered in a large shipment of ferns sent from Philadelphia to Boston in 1894.

This evergreen fern is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 9 to11, so it can’t be grown as a perennial plant outdoors in zone 6 of Greater Columbus, but it has recently been popping up as a seasonal accent and even a feature plant in local flower beds and landscape plantings.

Dependable houseplant

Boston fern is commonly grown as a houseplant in hanging baskets or other containers where the long fronds can hang downward gracefully. The plant does best in medium bright light, such as in an east-facing window or behind a sheer curtain in south and west windows. Boston fern can also thrive in locations away from full-sun windows if the plant is not in direct sunlight.

Garden: Plants native to Columbus can add to beautiful landscapes

This plant does best in a well-drained but moisture-retaining soil or soilless potting medium containing a mixture of peat and vermiculite. Although it does best with consistent moisture, it is the most drought tolerant of the commonly cultivated ferns. If possible, keep the potting medium evenly moist but not saturated.

High humidity needed

Boston fern thrives in locations with high humidity mimicking conditions of its native habitat. This can be a challenge in some homes, particularly in winter when indoor environments tend to be more dry. For this reason, Boston fern is sometimes located in bathrooms where humidity tends to be higher, thanks to the presence of the shower.

Another strategy to increase the humidity around a Boston fern is to double pot the plant. Double potting is accomplished by placing the fern in a terra cotta pot in a second, larger container lined with moist sphagnum moss to help retain moisture and humidity around the plant.

In conditions of low humidity, the tips and edges of the foliage of Boston fern will turn brown, particularly in winter.

Fertilizing and dividing

Regular fertilization with liquid or slow-release houseplant fertilizer at half strength every 4 to 6 weeks when the plant is actively growing will keep the foliage of Boston fern lush and dark green in color. The amount of fertilizer should be cut back significantly in winter when the growth of most houseplants slows significantly. Overfertilizing will result in browning and drying of tips of the fronds.

It is common for healthy Boston ferns to become dense and large when fertility and humidity conditions are ideal. Plants can easily be divided by cutting the root ball vertically, with a plant knife, in half or quarters depending upon the size of plant desired. Be sure to keep as much foliage as possible with each division.

Growing outdoors seasonally

Boston fern can also be grown outdoors seasonally in Greater Columbus in flower beds and landscape plantings. The plant provides a bit of tropical flair when interplanted with flowering annuals which thrive in similar growing conditions, such as begonia and impatiens.

When growing Boston fern outdoors, full- or partial-shade locations work best for this plant. Shade gardens and woodland gardens are excellent locations for this plant. Boston fern does best with a night temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit and a warmer day temperature that does not exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit, but will tolerate cooler temperatures if growing outside.

If grown seasonally outdoors, it should be moved inside or protected when temperatures dip into the low 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or simply treated as an annual plant and removed with other annuals when frost arrives in fall.

Garden: Gardening in the shade

Because of the locations where Boston fern thrives, as well as the nature of its dense, weeping growth habit, slugs can sometimes be a pest, setting up housekeeping in the moist shaded location beneath the foliage of Boston fern.

Mike Hogan is Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources and associate professor with Ohio State University Extension.

hogan.1@osu.edu

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Garden: Versatile Boston fern doubles as houseplant and as landscape accent