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A Birds Nest Fern is a tropical plant from the fern family that makes a great houseplant due to the crinkled appearance of its foliage. If you have a spot in your house that doesn’t receive too much light but needs brightening up with a plant then a birds nest fern is the perfect solution.

How do you take care of a birds nest fern?

Birds Nest Fern Light Requirements

A birds nest fern will do better in lower to medium lighting requirements. They do not need direct sunlight and may become damaged if exposed to this. Make sure the light they receive is indirect either by moving them further back from a light source or adding a sheer curtain to help protect their foliage.

Watering requirements

A birds nest fern likes to be watered regularly so that the soil is kept moist. It can dry out between waterings but do not let the soil become bone dry. Keep the soil moist but don’t leave the plant sitting in water.

When watering your birds nest fern make sure you don’t water directly onto the plant in the section called the ‘nest.’ If too much water gathers here it can encourage mould to grow and your plant may even start to rot. Instead water directly into the soil around the plant

Humidity Requirements

As a birds nest fern is a plant that originates from the tropics it comes as no surprise that they like it humid. They can live in lower humidity areas but you may see browning of the leaves if the air is too dry.

If you have a humidifier try setting it so humidity is around 50% for optimal moisture levels. If not then regular misting or placing your plant on top of a watered pebble tray should help to add the needed humidity to the air.

Soil Requirements

A birds nest fern likes a soil that will drain well but remain evenly moist. To get started you can use an all purpose potting soil with this plant. Peat moss can be a great alternative. We recommend the Espoma peat moss that you can find on Amazon.

Potting requirements

These plants are used to growing in limited space and fighting over nutrients in the soil. Because of this, your plant will actually do well in a slightly smaller pot. This is good news because as your plant gets bigger you don’t need to worry about repotting it as soon as you would with other plants.

However because of this you might find that your foliage can overbalance your plant pot. To counteract this, simply pot your fern in a heavier pot or add decorative stones on top of the soil to prevent it from toppling over.

Fertilizer requirements

A birds nest fern is a plant that doesn’t require too much feeding. In fact if you over feed your fern you may find burn like marks on the leaves or even growth deformities. Make sure you dilute the fertiliser you use so its not too strong for your plant.

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Birds Nest Fern FAQ

Here are some of the questions that are frequently asked by our readers about birds nest ferns.

Does Bird Nest Fern Need Sunlight To Grow?

All plants need lights to grow but your birds nest fern doesn’t need direct sunlight. In fact if placed under direct sunlight you might find that the leaves of your plants get scorched. Instead place it in filtered indirect sunlight to help promote growth.

The birds nest fern can also tolerate lower lighting conditions. A north or east windowsill would be a good placement for your fern.

What Is Wrong With My Birds Nest Fern?

If you’re having problems with your fern then first of all check the lighting situation. Is your plant being exposed to too much sunlight? Try moving it away from the window or to a less bright location in the house.

Is the soil too dry? Give it a water. Is the soil too wet? Let it dry out a bit.

If this isn’t the case then the air may be too dry, in which case consider misting your plant to stop the foliage from drying out.

Does Birds Nest Fern Have Roots?

Yes the birds nest fern has a root system from where it drinks water and takes up nutrients in the soil.

Is Bird Nest Fern A Plant Or Fungi?

A Birds Nest Fern is a plant not a fungus.

What Species Does The Birds Nest Fern Belong To?

As is mentioned in the name of the plant, the birds nest fern belongs to the fern family.

If you have any questions of your own please feel free to leave them in the comments section below so we can add them to our FAQ.