Hey Plant Pals! We have a whirlwind of a plant to feature this week, meet the Hurricane Birds Nest Fern! This air purifying beauty has a spiraling growth habit with glossy green leaves that can grow up to 2-3 feet wide!

Light + Temperature

This fern is a shade-seeker and requires medium, in-direct light! Keep it away from direct sunshine as this will scorch its leaves. Like most ferns, the Hurricane Birds Nest will thrive in a more humid environment such as a kitchen or bathroom! If you need more humidity, try to mist regularly to promote healthy growth.

Watering

The Hurricane Birds Nest Fern should be watered thoroughly during the growing season, and less during winter. Keep the soil moist, and water when the top inch of soil is dry. Be careful when watering and don’t let water sit in the centre spiral, this is like the “eye of the storm” and can easily cause root rot if it gets too wet!

 Soil + Potting

This fern doesn’t need a fancy potting mix, our regular Tropical Potting Mix will work perfectly fine! Just make sure there are enough drainage holes to help avoid root rot. The Hurricane Birds Nest is epiphytic, so it doesn’t have a huge root system and likely won’t become rootbound, however if you notice your fern starting to tip over, that’s your sign to repot! These plants can become very top heavy and will need a wide base that can support them.

Fern Troubleshooting

Low humidity and overwatering are the two most common issues when it comes to the Hurricane. Dry, crispy leaves? This is likely a sign that the plant needs more moisture, misting it regularly and increasing the watering schedule should help! Yellowing leaves are almost always a sign of overwatering. Having adequate drainage and allowing the top inch of soil to dry out should help fix overwatering.

Fun Facts

If you need another reason to own a Hurricane Birds Nest Fern, this might be it! These plants are non-toxic for people and animals. There’s no need to worry if your furry friends decide to make a little snack out of some of the fun leaves.