Lemon Button Fern

Lemon Button Fern Care

Nephrolepis cordifolia

What is the plant

This plant has a lot of names. Some of them are little-leaved sword fern, fishbone fern, and erect sword fern. It is perfect for growing indoors: it is easy to care for and gives off a lemon scent that will “refresh” your home.

Nephrolepis cordifolia is a wood fern that is native to woody places. It has two types of leaves: fertile and sterile, and both of them are pinnate and have many lanceolate leaflets. Rhizomes are mostly orange, sometimes pale-brown. Primrose stolons produce small tubers that you can find underground.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

10°C - 15°C

Hardiness zone

8a - 10b

Difficulty

Medium

How to Care for the Plant

Water
This plant is a fern, so it should not become dried out. It’s best to water it once a week to keep the soil moist enough. In winter, you can reduce watering a little if the weather is cold and wet.
Pruning
This plant doesn’t require regular aggressive pruning. When the old fronds die, it will be beneficial to remove them to make space for new ones.
Fertilizer
Fertilizing is necessary only during the growing season. You can use half recommended strength of the balanced fertilizer.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
To help your plant thrive, avoid direct sunshine. Medium or bright filtered light will work the best. The direct sun can burn the plant’s leaves.
Soil
You can use standard houseplant soil, which should be loose and well-draining. A neutral or slightly acidic mix will do best.
Propagation
The best way to propagate Nephrolepis cordifolia is division. To do so, remove the entire plant from the container, tease apart the roots with your hands and plant the new plant in a separate pot in your usual soil mix.

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Temperature
The optimum range for lemon button fern is 60-80 ͦ F(15-25 ͦ C). Don’t let the temperature drop lower than 50 ͦ F(10 ͦ C).
Container
You can use a container of any material. The pot should be 1-2 in (2.5-5 cm) wider than the earthen clod. Don’t forget about drainage. You may want to put a layer of pebbles on the pot bottom to keep the roots out of the water.
Fun fact
You might notice the similarity of this plant with the Boston fern, and it’s not surprising: Lemon button fern is a dwarf version of it. This makes Nephrolepis cordifolia the perfect indoor plant. It’s small, easy to plant, and suits almost every design.