Like most ferns, they enjoy moist soil. Check them weekly and water if the top inch of soil feel dry.
They’re made for shade, so an ideal plant if you don’t have bright rooms. Not keen on direct sun.
They like a bit of moisture in the air. They’ll love life in the bathroom, or you can mist them daily.
Botanical name
Microsorum musifolium ‘Crocodyllus’
Nickname
Crocodile fern; Alligator fern
Air purifying
Yes
Plant height (including pot)
20-30cm
Pet/Baby safe?
Yes
Nursery pot size
12cm
Like its namesake, the crocodile fern likes to live in places that are wet and rather dark. That and the scaled texture of its leaves are, thankfully, where the crocodile comparisons end.
Primarily found in the Malaysian Archipelago, the crocodile fern is an epiphyte. That means it grows on other structures, usually attaching its shallow roots to trees or cracks between rocks. It draws most of the water and nutrients it needs from the air of the humid forest. Leaves that can grow up to 4-foot long in the wild give it plenty of surface area to catch all that moisture.
When growing it as a houseplant, try to mimic its natural habitat. It’s used to growing in the shade of larger trees, so it’s happy in fairly low light. It love love loves moist air. A bathroom is an ideal home, but misting regularly will be just fine. A monthly feed with liquid fertiliser (diluted to half strength) in spring and summer will also give it a boost.
Did you know?
It may look small, but a crocodile fern in the wild can easily grow up to 5-foot.
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