Davina

Phlebodium 'davana'

Blue star fern; phlebodium davana

• 
  Easy care
• 
  Most light conditions

• Phlebodium 'davana' likes...
  • 
    Regular watering

    She likes her soil gently moist but not soggy, so water when the soil surface is slightly dry. Avoid watering her leaves.

  • 
    Most light conditions

    In the wild she lives in the dappled light of a forest. So she’s happy in partial shade but loves bright, indirect light.

  • 
    Humidity

    She loves moist air. If you can put her in a bathroom, brilliant. If not, mist her every couple of days.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Phlebodium davana

  Nickname

  Blue star fern

  Plant type

  Indoor evergreen

  Plant height (including pot)

  30-40cm

  Pet/baby safe

  Yes

  Nursery pot size

  12cm

• About phlebodium davana

  This beautiful fern, with its full and frilly blue-green leaves, is an epiphyte. For those not fully up on their greek etymology, an epiphyte is a plant that grows on another plant. In tropical forests in the Americas, phlebodium aureum will nestle in the branches of huge trees. 

  Considering its natural habitat will give you a good idea of how to care for it. Living in trees means it’s not used to direct light and will tolerate some shade. Living in tropical forests means it really loves humidity. It will also appreciate a monthly feed with liquid fertiliser in spring and summer.

  To keep it happy, try to mimic those forest conditions as much as possible. No need to get any parrots or tree frogs in or anything.

  Did you know?

  You might not expect to find ferns in the Caribbean, but that’s where this typically calls home.