Silver lady fern

Silver lady fern Care

Blechnum gibbum

What is the plant

Blechnum gibbum is a fern from the Blechnaceae family. It is native to New Caledonia. With just a little care, this green beauty can make your home feel like a forest.

Blechnum gibbum's stem is upright, strong, and scaly. It is usually black in color. The plant produces a neat symmetrical rosette of leaves with spore pods on the underside.

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Humidity

High

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

15°C - 16°C

Hardiness zone

10a - 12b

Difficulty

Hard

Hibernation

Cold Period

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Your green friend will need regular irrigation. Irrigate your Blechnum when the topsoil dries. In the spring and summer months, keep the soil moist. In cold months, however, you may reduce the frequency of watering. Make sure the water you use is tepid and lime-free.
Pruning
Cut off old dried leaves at the base. Over time, the plant will expose a narrow "trunk"-rhizome, a characteristic feature of this fern.
Fertilizer
Feed your Silver Lady fern every two weeks in warm months. Use liquid solutions for indoor decorative leafy plants. Remember that this plant is rather sensitive, so it's best to apply fertilizer half-strength. In winter, Blechnum doesn't require feeding.

Disease diagnosis

Check your plant’s health

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Sunlight
Direct sunlight can damage your Blechnum. Therefore, we recommend placing your green pet next to a southwest- or southeast-facing window. In winter, you may need to use phytolamps.
Soil
The soil needs to be slightly acidic. You can use a substrate suitable for fern plants or make the mix yourself from peat soil, humus soil, chopped sphagnum moss, and river sand in a ratio of 2:2:1:1. You can also add chopped pine bark or vermiculite.
Propagation
You can propagate Blechnum gibbum by dividing the rhizome. An alternative way to propagate a Silver Lady fern is by spores. Your greenie might take one to two months to germinate.

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Temperature
The temperature in summer should not exceed 82°F (28°C). In the autumn-winter period, the ideal conditions for your fern would be around 59°F (15°C). Although your Blechnum can tolerate up to 50°F (10°C), you need to be careful not to freeze your green pet and keep the humidity level low. It's best not to let the temperature drop below 60°F (16°C).
Container
If you decide to grow Blechnum gibbum at home, use a large pot that accommodates the plant's root system. You can also use a glass construction and put the pot between two sash windows to control the humidity, heat, and light. An interesting alternative would be a panorama aquarium.
Fun fact
Blechnum gibbum reaches approximately 3.5 feet (1 meter) in height! Pretty tall, isn't it?