The staghorn fern is found in Asian and Australian tropical forests and on the islands of the Indian Ocean. Both in freedom and in home windowsill Platycerium can grow to very large sizes. The main thing is proper care.

Kinds

Double-forked

Sporiferous leaves of this species reach a length of about 50-70 cm. They have a bluish tint and gather in rosettes. Young plants have leaves covered with thick white down. At the base they have a wedge-shaped shape, the upper part expands, branches into several tongue-shaped lobes hanging down.

The sterile leaves are round and most often whole, less often with cutouts along the edges; they are pressed to the ground. As the plants mature, they become brown and dry.

Hilla

This species is similar to the double-forked one, but is distinguished by many compact, straight leaves with shallow dissection. Some segments appear shorter and more pointed.

Photo of the subspecies Platicerium Hilla:

Big

Its sterile leaves are pale green in color and do not dry out for a long time. They are raised, deeply dissected and fan-shaped. Their width can reach 1.4 meters. The spore-bearing leaves are also evenly dissected from the middle, and the belt-like lobes hang down.

Angolan

The spore-bearing leaves of this species expand upward, but do not have a dissection. Their lower part is triangular-wedge-shaped and covered with orange-colored down. Top part sterile leaves bend back.

Photo of the Angolan subspecies:

Elkhorn

Its spore-bearing leaves, reaching 30 cm in length, do not hang down, but stand upright. They sag only from lack of light. Also, this type of plant requires more water than its “brothers”.

Gymnosperms, and with them ferns, dominated the Earth 200 million years ago. But even now this type of plant is quite popular. Read our articles about the most common ferns that are found in homes and gardens. personal plots: , And .

Home care

Features of care after purchase

Since in nature platicerium grows on trees, At home it is grown on pieces of bark. To do this, the roots of the plant need to be wrapped in a damp mixture of sphagnum moss and some coarse peat, and then tied to bark or any other suitable decorative support.

Ferns are also placed in hanging pots. If there is no support in the form of bark, you need to add rotten mushrooms from deciduous trees to the soil. A quarter of the container should be occupied by the drainage layer at the very bottom.

Lighting

Platicerium loves light, but it is still better to protect it from the direct rays of the spring and summer sun. Choose a moderately shaded place for the fern, such as a west-facing window. In winter, it can be moved to the south, but do not forget to protect it from direct sun.

Temperature

"Deer antlers" love warmth. In summer, the plant is comfortable at 18-25 degrees Celsius; in winter, the temperature can be reduced to at least 15 degrees. Platycerium really does not like drafts, protect the fern from them.

Air humidity

Platycerium prefers high humidity. However, it is strictly forbidden to wipe the leaves - there is a risk of damaging the tiny velvety hairs on the surface that capture moisture from the air.

Therefore, it is enough to periodically spray the “horns” with the smallest sprayer so that the water does not remain in drops on the leaves.

If there is an open aquarium or other source of humidity in the room, it would be a good idea to place the “Deer Antlers” closer to it.

Watering

You need to pour water into the cracks between the soil and the sterile leaves. In winter, when the platycerium has a dormant period, watering should be reduced.

Fertilizers (feeding)

“Deer Antlers” are fed with a complex fertilizer developed specifically for decorative deciduous plants. The portion for platycerium should be taken twice as small as recommended in the instructions.

The plant needs to be fertilized from April to September once every two weeks. 2-3 times per summer time you can water the fern nutrient solution from mineral and organic fertilizers.

Transfer

Usually, adult platyceriums are not replanted. If necessary, young plants can be wrapped in new moss in the spring and placed in a larger container.

At the same time, remember that It is impossible to tear off dead anchor leaves.

The soil

The substrate for "Deer Antlers" can be different composition. The soil may contain bark, sphagnum and roots of other ferns. Another option: coarse-fiber peat mixed with moss, leaf soil and unrotted leaves.

Of the ready-made soil mixtures sold in stores for branching ferns, soil for orchids is best suited.

Reproduction

Disputes

When the plant reaches the age of 7-9 years, spores form on its leaves. When they are ripe, they are shaken off onto a sheet of paper and sown in March.

Sowing is done in moist sphagnum, but Before this, for the purpose of sterilization, the soil must be doused with boiling water and allowed to cool.

The seeded container should be covered with glass and left in a warm, shaded place for several days.

The soil will need to be sprayed regularly with water. Young, strong plants can be placed in separate pots and accustomed to regular watering and lighting.

Dividing the bush

In case of transplantation, the young fern can be carefully divided and planted in different containers.

By shoots

The emerging shoots are carefully separated from the adult plant and planted in separate pots about half filled with pebbles and wet moss.

The soil needs to be watered abundantly and covered with film. for a few days. As soon as the sprouts take root and become stronger, you can transfer them to “adult mode”.

Diseases and pests

The number of harmful insects dangerous to Platycerium includes scale insects (appear due to dry heat), thrips and spider mite. You can get rid of them by spraying (but not wiping) the leaves of the “deer antlers” with a solution of insect repellent.

Beneficial features

“Deer antlers” destroy a certain part of gaseous hydrocarbons and purify the air in the room. Also platicerium prevents the development of pathogenic microorganisms.

Video on the topic

Learn more about the Staghorn Fern in the video below:

Conclusion

Platicerium is a favorite of gardeners who prefer unusual plants. It will add a touch of exoticism to any interior and become its eye-catching decoration.

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Deer antlers: care, watering, photo, transplanting and propagation. Deer Horns (Kalanchoe laciniata) - due to the unusual shape of the leaves, the plant is called Deer Horns. The plant is classified as an indoor plant and is quite unpretentious. Native to Africa, subtropics and tropics Asian countries. A perennial herbaceous representative with succulent fleshy shoots, initially erect, then lodging; the plant becomes bare below with age. The leaf is fleshy, deeply dissected, serrated at the edges, light green, and has a waxy coating. The flower is tubular, yellow-orange. Deer Horns bloom profusely. The soil for the plant is turfy-sandy. In autumn and winter watering is limited, after completely dry land. Thanks to the shoots that droop over time, it can be grown as an ampel plant. U various types the leaves differ from each other. Often thick, strongly or slightly dissected, may be sessile, or may have petioles. The red, white or purple flower is collected in an umbellate inflorescence. Like most plants, Deer Antlers love bright, adequate lighting. In summer, up to 12 hours of daylight are provided; starting from the end of summer, lighting is provided for no more than 9 hours. In winter, the flower is placed on the southern windowsill. In summer, deer horns are shaded, because Burning sunlight can leave burns on the leaves of the plant, and also leads to their redness. Temperature: Antlers unpretentious plant. Keep at room temperature. IN summer period temperature up to 27°C, in winter the recommended temperature is no more than 15°C. Leaves can deteriorate from cold air, and at elevated temperatures in autumn and winter period the flower bud is not formed. Watering: When watering Deer Horns, use soft, settled water. Watering is carried out as the upper part of the soil becomes dry; in no case should the earthen ball dry out completely. In winter, water every four days after the substrate has dried. Excess water from the pan is drained. Humidity: Reindeer antlers can easily tolerate dry indoor air. In summer it will be useful to spray the plant with a spray bottle. Feeding: During growth, fertilize with cactus fertilizers every six months. Blooming deer horns are fed with fertilizer in winter flower plant in half doses. Transplantation: Reindeer horns are replanted in the spring, after flowering, depending on the volume of the root. In some situations, they are replanted every year, choosing a larger pot. small plant transplanted less frequently. Expanded clay or finely broken bricks are poured onto the bottom of the pot, which facilitates care. excess water. Young deer horns are planted in a substrate of turf soil, foliage, sand and peat. Reproduction: It is easy to propagate Deer Antlers from the top shoot, reaching a length of ten centimeters, which is taken in the spring from the branch of the current growth. Roots in peat with sand underneath plastic film, periodically ventilated. The rooted cuttings are transplanted into a separate pot and placed in a place with brightly diffused light. You can propagate Deer Horns using seeds, which are very small. The seeds are sown at the end of winter in a mixture of deciduous soil and sand, without sprinkling the seeds. Planted seeds will germinate in two weeks. The seedlings are picked and exposed to the light. The second pick is carried out before the beginning of summer. Some features: Due to its unusual appearance, many people place the plant in the back of the room to decorate the interior. This can be done, but in such conditions watering is reduced to a minimum. And you can’t keep Deer Horns in partial shade for more than a month, otherwise the plant will wither. When exposed to excess heat and moisture, it affects powdery mildew. If the room is excessively humid or cool, gray mold affects Deer Antlers. The plant is also affected by spider mites.

Antler flowers - quite exotic evergreen from the genus of ferns. It is distinguished by the bizarre shape of its leaves, which is why it got its name. The tropical handsome man will become stylish decoration premises, especially if you grow it as a hanging plant.

general description

The plant produces leaves (fronds) of two types:

• Sterile. They grow like basal plants, whole in shape. Perform several functions simultaneously: support, collection nutrients. Pieces of moss linger in them, plant remains, which rot and become a nutrient substrate. Over time, they become thinner and change color, but remain healthy.
• Fertile or spore-bearing. They are the main decoration of the deer horn flower. Spreading, lush green with pubescence, in some species they grow up to 1.5 m. As they grow, the fronds are divided into ligulate lobes 2-3 times, which gives them a resemblance to the branched antlers of male deer. After the formation of spores, “spots” of characteristic Brown. This is not a disease, but a place where spores accumulate, which can be used for reproduction at home.

Fronds when grown at home may be slightly shorter than those growing in the natural environment. In the process of life, they release phytoncides, that is, they benefit their owners. Another useful property– ability to absorb hydrocarbons from polluted air. Although some people refuse to keep platicerium in the house because of a “bad omen” (it will push their husband to cheat), in fact there is no evidence of this. Most likely, the superstition arose due to the external resemblance to horns, which became a colloquial symbol for betrayal.

Types for home cultivation

There are a total of 18 known species of antler flower. Not everyone is suitable as a houseplant. The following are recommended for home maintenance:

• Double-forked or moose-horned. Grows well - up to 75 cm in width and length. Young foliage is silvery in color (due to pubescence).
• Hilla. It is a more miniature copy of the previous type. Its fertile leaves actually resemble deer (not elk) antlers.
• Angolan. It is distinguished by the shape of the fronds, which resemble large (up to 40 cm) triangles with wavy edges that hang downwards from the base.
• Big. Outwardly it resembles a head of cabbage, from which spreading horns grow (up to 1.5 m, growing upward). This species has highly developed sterile leaves, which provide such an exotic appearance.

The main difference between the types of staghorn flower is the shape and size of the foliage. These ferns do not bloom, which may be an important consideration for people prone to allergic reactions to flower pollen.

Home conditions

How indoor plant deer horns look very impressive. But to maintain it, a number of conditions are necessary that recreate the atmosphere of tropical forests and natural habitats:

• Temperature. In summer, the comfort temperature is within + 23 – 25 0 (maximum +30 0), in winter – within +17 – 18 0, rarely able to tolerate a long drop to +12 0.
• Humidity. Platyceriums do not tolerate dry air; humidity should be from 60 to 80%.
• Lighting. Direct sunlight is destructive; it needs partial shade and long daylight hours. In summer it should be at least 12 hours, in winter 9 hours is enough.
• Ventilation. It is allowed, but without drafts; the fern does not tolerate them at all.
• The soil. When growing in pots, you can use a mixture of leaf and peat soil with the addition of sand, sphagnum moss, pieces of pine bark and humus in equal proportions. You can use ready-made soil mixture for ferns. The soil should be slightly acidic, the pot should be shallow, flat, with good drainage from fine gravel.

Tip: as an indoor flower, deer antlers are best grown as an hanging plant. And not in pots, but on a piece of wood of a suitable size. To ensure a sufficient level of humidity, you can hang it above the aquarium. This is an effective and rational design solution.

Features of care

Platycerium is an unpretentious flower; it is enough to follow a few rules:

• Watering is regular, every other day in summer and once every 10 days in winter. For irrigation, use boiled or well-settled soft water, which is carefully topped up as soon as it dries out. upper layer soil. Platicerium does not tolerate excess moisture, so it needs to be watered regularly and sparingly. In summer it is necessary to spray with soft water from a fine spray bottle.
• No pruning is needed; even dying foliage is not separated, but left behind.
• Replanting is very rare (once every 4 years) and only for young plants. It is carefully dug up and transferred to new pot with drainage and soil.
• Feeding only in the summer, once a month is enough. You can use fertilizers for ferns or orchids. It is better to reduce the recommended dosage by 2 times.

Important details. Watering can be replaced by bathing: the pot is placed in water for a few minutes. When placed overhead, generously spray the inner pockets. As a top dressing, pieces of banana peel are periodically used, which are placed under sterile fronds. You cannot wipe the foliage; this procedure will damage the pubescence, the plant will stop producing phytoncides, and if the damage is extensive, it will die.

Deer antlers plant in wildlife

Growing on wood

When growing on wood, a substrate of sphagnum moss, pieces of bark and rotted leaves 1.5 - 2 cm thick is made for the roots. This mixture is placed in a small depression made in a piece of wood. The roots are slightly buried into it and secured with fishing line. You can use synthetic narrow tapes or wire, but be sure to have insulation (ordinary copper will not work). It is tied below the sterile leaves so as to support and at the same time provide the lower fronds with the opportunity to form a pocket. After this, the piece of wood is nailed to the wall or hung in some other way. With abundant growth, additional support for the fronds may be required.

Reproduction

Deer antlers can be propagated by spores or vegetatively.

Reproduction by spores

To propagate using this method, it is enough to collect spores from fertile leaves, dry them, and then place them on the surface of a container with nutrient soil. A standard soil mixture for this fern, previously disinfected with boiling water and cooled, is suitable. The container is covered with film or glass, and the soil is periodically moistened. Within 2 months before the first leaves appear, the spores need high level air humidity and sufficient lighting. Then the sprouts peak. If you plan to grow on wood, then the plant is tied to it according to the scheme described above. For better rooting, wrap the roots with a layer of moistened sphagnum.

Vegetative propagation

For vegetative propagation 2 methods are used:

• Offspring. The emerging young shoots with a developed root system are carefully separated from the mother plant and transplanted into the ground. And immediately on permanent place. 3 weeks are enough for rooting; the appearance of new foliage is a sign that the flower has taken root.
• Dividing the bush. A bush that has grown abundantly can be divided. It is better to do this during transplantation, so as not to disturb the fern again. When dividing, you must act carefully: root system quite weak. The bush is divided in such a way that both divisions retain sterile and fertile fronds; both types of leaves are necessary for normal life. The cuttings are immediately transplanted into a pot or attached to wood.

Care errors, diseases, pests

The following problems may occur:

• foliage turns yellow: sign elevated temperature or sunburn;
• the fronds have become sluggish and pale: excessive lighting or lack of fertilizer;
• dried out and brown: lack of moisture;
• withered: its excess;
• lack of growth: a sign of low humidity.

Platycerium practically does not get sick; the only danger is the death of the roots due to stagnation of water and excessive watering. When pests appear (thrips, aphids, scale insects, spider mites), insecticides are used for spraying.

An exotic representative of ferns, the staghorn flower, amazes with its unusual appearance and surprises with its ease of cultivation and care. Decorative properties This fancy plant is successfully used in interior decoration. The article and the photo of the flower presented in it will help you understand all the intricacies of growing exotic plants.

• Avoid the scorching rays of the sun, and create shading that imitates natural conditions for a plant (as under the crown of a tree). Platicerium is unlikely to survive in artificial light.
• Needs access fresh air, but the fern is sensitive to drafts.
• The humidity level in the room should be between 60-80% (do not forget that “deer antlers” tropical plant). If the air in the apartment is very dry (which is often observed in winter with increased heating), you can place a container of water near the fern.
• The optimal temperature is 20°C. Increase temperature regime requires an increase in humidity levels.
• The soil should be well-drained (a mixture of soil and bark 1:1 is suitable, but you can use bark and sphagnum moss).
• Water regularly, but do not overdo it, because... if there is too much water, the “deer antlers” can rot. It is better to focus on the top layer of soil - if it is slightly dry, you can water it. Spraying is encouraged (in winter it is better to refrain from this procedure). Follow the rule - the higher the humidity, the less watering.
• During the growing season (spring-summer), the antler flower needs feeding every 2 weeks. Water-soluble fertilizers for orchids or ferns are well suited for this purpose. During the dormant period (autumn-winter), fertilize once a month. Some gardeners use it as a top dressing banana peel for a rounded leaf frond.

Advice. There is no need to wipe the Platicerium fronds, because... This procedure can damage the small hairs that cover the fern, and this can even lead to the death of the plant.

Transplanting antlers flowers

Platycerium is most often grown in shallow pots and hanging planters. But if you want to make the most of the decorative effect of “deer antlers”, then the plant can be transplanted to wood block, imitating real deer antlers, as shown in the photo.

Only young ferns tolerate transplantation well; more mature ones should not be disturbed. Sphagnum moss with peat particles and pieces of rotted bark and leaves are used as a substrate and food source. On a prepared board with nails driven in, a bed for the “deer antlers” is formed using fishing line and moistened moss. The backing layer should not be too bulky, 1.5-2 cm thick is enough.

Attention! Do not use copper wire to create a substrate; it can have a detrimental effect on the fern.

The roots of the “deer antlers” need to be cleaned from the old substrate as thoroughly as possible, but very carefully. Then the platycerium is transferred to a new habitat, the sterile frond is pressed against the formed substrate and strengthened with fishing line. The frond will grow and form a bracket, so the sphagnum is distributed evenly, without any tubercles or depressions.

After this, all that remains is to choose a place on the wall and fasten the board with “deer antlers” to the delight of you and the surprise of your friends.

Attention! “Deer antlers” will not only serve as a wonderful interior decoration, but can also purify the air, filling it with phytoncides.

Diseases and pests

When growing staghorn fern, you may encounter the following problems:

1. Defeat by scale insects. The pest is unpleasant, but you can fight it using special preparations.
2. Mealybug sucking juices from ferns. The plant appears to be covered with a white coating. If you don’t sound the alarm in time and start fighting the whitish bastard, the “deer antlers” will face inevitable death.
3. Reduced leaf turgor and the appearance of spots. Make sure the plant is not exposed to direct sunlight.
4. Drying leaves indicate a lack of moisture, and wilting, on the contrary, indicates an excess of moisture.
5. The pallor of the leaf blades indicates insufficient feeding.

As you can see, maintaining this miracle fern will not cause much trouble. Well, as for the sign that “deer antlers” contributes to the husband’s leaving home, it’s unlikely similar situation it is worth placing the blame on the flower.

Deer antler: video

– genus of ferns belonging to the family Centipedes. Very common in Old World tropical forests.

Did you know?The Latin name of the plant, platyceros, comes from Greek words platos – wide and keros – horn; literally means "doe", which refers to the shape of the fern, which bears a resemblance to the antlers of a deer.

Platycerium: description of indoor fern

Indoor flower deer antlers are a large epiphytic plant with a branched rhizome; its aerial roots are located in the area of ​​the upper leaves and under the rhizomatous scales. Platycerium leaves are sterile and spore-bearing, and also differ morphologically. The sterile leaves are wide, rounded and sessile, tightly adjacent to the trunk and branches of the host tree with a free upper edge, which forms a niche, which receives sediment and humus from the fern leaves that die.

Humus accumulates over time and can serve as a substrate for the roots of the plant; with age, the weight can reach about 100 kg. The spore-bearing leaves are flat in shape, on short petioles, with dense skin, erect or drooping, giving the impression that the flower looks like antlers. Sporangia are responsible for photosynthesis and reproduction; they are not collected in sori, but are simply scattered on the apical part of the leaves, giving the lower part a red tint.

Types of Platycerium

Platycerium fern growing in tropical forests Central Africa, about 20 plant species are found there, but in room conditions 4 species are grown.

Platycerium Angolanis. Characterized by triangular, entire, spore-bearing leaves up to 40 cm wide, widened towards the upper edge, which is pubescent orange and there are jagged marks on it. Sterile leaves are slightly bent at the edges and are whole.

Did you know? Platycerium Angolan destroys gaseous carbohydrates and purifies the air in the apartment.

Platycerium large is a large plant native to Australia and tropical Asia. Its sterile leaves are quite wide, up to 60 cm, and dissected at the ends. Spore-bearing plants are wedge-shaped, half of the leaf is cut into belt-shaped stripes. They can reach up to 2 m in length.

Platycerium bifurcated, or Platycerium staghorn, It grows in nature in Australia. Most popular among indoor species Platycerium. Its lower sterile leaves round shape, convex and dissected, and the upper spore-bearing ones are no longer than 70 cm, gray-green in color, wedge-shaped at the base, but widening towards the upper part.

Platycerium Hilla- outwardly resembles the previous look, but more elegant and fragile. Its leaves are shallowly dissected, straight, individual segments are pointed at the ends. Very similar to the previous type, but more miniature. The homeland of Platycerium Hill is the Australian tropics.

Features of growing home fern

It is worth choosing a western window for the fern, optimal temperature and humidity.

Choosing a location: what should be the lighting, temperature and humidity

The homemade antler flower grows best in bright but shaded areas from direct sunlight. The sun is very dangerous for the leaves, it can cause burns and seriously harm the platycerium. If there is not enough light, you need to additionally illuminate with a lamp. The temperature in the apartment should be maintained at +20-25 °C in summer, and +20-22 °C in winter; temperatures below +15 °C are harmful to platycerium and can cause its death.

Platycerium tolerates apartment dryness very poorly. To ensure proper care, it is better to place the platicerium flower on a tray with expanded clay or hang it above the aquarium. The plant needs very high humidity; it should be sprayed with warm boiled or purified water. Spraying running water prohibited due to the fact that the smallest leaf scales on the surface can become clogged, which can harm the platycerium.

Important!It is also impossible to wipe dust from the leaves with a sponge or rag, so as not to mechanically damage the velvety hairs that trap moisture; this requires more abundant spraying.

In what soil is platycerium planted?

Platycerium grows well in substrates that include peat, leaf and coniferous land, crushed sphagnum in proportions 2:2:2:1. You can try a composition of peat, chopped sphagnum and chopped fern rhizomes mixed in a 1:1:1 ratio, and bromeliad mixtures made from crushed tree bark, sphagnum and fern rhizomes in a 2:2:1 ratio. The platicerium flower includes in its care requirements such as moisture absorption soil mixture and its breathability properties.

Planting and propagation of platicerium (deer antlers) at home

Platycerium is capricious, and caring for it at home takes a lot of effort. Platycerium is often grown in hanging baskets or on pieces of tree bark. When choosing the second option, the plant is secured to the bark with wire, and a little earth is poured under the lower leaves. Platycerium increases in growth, and so does the gap between the bark and leaves, so soil should be added, but there is no need to remove the dried lower leaves, they benefit the fern. In the case when the platicerium is planted in a pot, it is necessary to add an expanded clay layer to 1/3 to maintain soil moisture and protect the roots from rotting if they are flooded with excessive amounts of water.

Like most ferns, the staghorn flower reproduces with the help of spores, which germinate only in a bright place, and the shoot develops normally only in a humid environment, and therefore the spore crops must be kept under a transparent cap. It also reproduces by shoots (they are separated from the adult plant and planted in separate pots filled with pebbles and moss) and by division (the young plant is divided and planted in different containers)

Proper care- the key to good fern development.

Watering

The staghorn flower needs regular watering, and it is worth knowing how to properly care for it. Water for irrigation should be at room temperature and filtered. The watering itself is plentiful, but you should wait until the top layer of soil dries. The basket with the platicerium is immersed in a container of water, after the flower is saturated with moisture, it is taken out of the water and left without watering for several days. If the fern is grown in a regular flowerpot, make sure that moisture does not accumulate in the tray to prevent the roots from rotting from the flood.

Top dressing

Deer antlers, like a capricious flower, require constant feeding and care. Fertilizer is produced once a month when watered with special fertilizers for ferns, using ½ of the concentration specified in the instructions. Some gardeners advise placing scalded tea leaves or pieces of banana peel under the dome, which is formed by sterile leaves.

Platycerium transplant

We replant platycerium only when necessary. During this operation, there is a risk of damage to the sterile leaves, and even if it is possible to separate them carefully, after the transplantation process they will not be able to form an elegant membrane dome, closely adhering to the surface. The substrate can be replaced by reaching the roots, using the slots located in the lower part, which are made on the eve of planting.