You are spoiled for choice when looking for an indoor fern. This article presents 20 species that can be attractively staged with their intense green.

In a nutshell

  • Room ferns reach lower growth heights
  • prefer bright locations
  • Bathrooms with a window are well suited
  • require sufficiently high humidity

Room ferns from A to G

Upright sword fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

  • upright growth, overhanging
  • 40 to 150 cm high
  • light green, sickle-shaped fronds
  • up to 100 cm long
  • forms a slender rhizome
  • Spores warty or wrinkled
  • considered an air purifier
  • ideal for hanging baskets or flower columns

Tip: The sword fern is one of the few indoor ferns that you can put in the sun. The plant must only be protected from the midday sun.

Double Hull Fern (Didymochlaena truncatula)

  • Growth height from 30 to 200 cm
  • as a room fern usually 30 to 60 cm
  • upright, slightly overhanging growth
  • leathery fronds, 30 to 50 cm long
  • shimmering rich green color
  • suitable for hydroponics
  • alternatively suitable for balconies and terraces during the summer
  • considered an air purifier
Source: Photo by David J. Stang, Didymochlaena truncatula 3zz, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Maidenhair fern (Adiantum raddianum)

  • dense growth, overhanging, bushy
  • erect stems, dark brown, thin (reminiscent of women's hair)
  • 50 to 100 cm high
  • Frond up to 50 cm long
  • light green leaflets, triangular, rounded
  • also suitable for garden planting
  • ideal for rock gardens
  • Despite its low toxicity, it is used in naturopathy
Source: André Karwath aka Aka, Adiantum fragrans (aka), edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 2.5

Antler fern (Platycerium bifurcatum)

  • sprawling growth, slightly overhanging
  • Epiphytes (not as a houseplant)
  • decorative leaves
  • reminiscent of deer or elk antlers
  • Leaves branch more in adult specimens
  • grey-green coloring
  • 30 to 90 cm long
  • forms additional niche leaves on the ground
  • serve to absorb water and nutrients
  • die off by themselves (do not remove)
  • excellent for hanging baskets

Goldspotted Fern (Phlebodium aureum)

  • 50 to 100 cm high
  • upright growth, sprawling
  • Stems clearly visible
  • blue-green fronds
  • 30 to 50 cm long
  • forms yellow-brown rhizomes, hairy
  • Spore bearing in golden yellow color
  • on underside of fronds
  • Gloves recommended when in contact with the plant
  • releases hydrocyanic acid in the event of damage

from H to J

Harefoot Fern (Davallia bullata)

  • 20 to 30 cm high
  • bushy growth, overhanging
  • Epiphytes (not as a houseplant)
  • Fronds 30 to 50 cm long
  • pale green color, distinctly pinnate
  • propagating rhizomes
  • protrude beyond the pot
  • Rhizomes brown and hairy (reminiscent of rabbit feet)
  • ideal for hanging baskets
  • alternatively high clay pots or flat tubs
Can be planted as a room fern in a pot. Source: Frank Vincentz, Davallia bullata 1ies, edited from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Heart Fern (Hemionitis arifolia)

  • Growth height of 20 to 30 cm
  • compact growth
  • thin stalks, difficult to discern
  • forms individual leaves of various shapes
  • heart-shaped, 5 to 6 cm in size, sterile
  • arrow-shaped, up to 4 cm long, fertile and spore-forming
  • rich green
  • ideal companion for tropical plants
  • suitable for terrariums
Source: Daderot, Hemionitis arifolia - Lyman Plant House, Smith College - DSC04278 edited from Plantopedia, CC0 1.0

Tip: If you want to suppress heart fern sporulation, carefully remove the arrow-shaped foliage. This will remove the fertile leaves.

from K to N

Kangaroo Fern (Microsorum diversifolium)

  • loose growth, upright
  • Growth height from 30 to 50 cm
  • intense dark green foliage, 20 to 50 cm long
  • glossy, elongated, tapering to a point
  • extremely robust room fern
  • high heat tolerance
  • suitable for terrariums
  • excellent traffic light plant
  • easily confused with Microsorum punctatum
  • less commonly confused with gold dot farm

Lesser tufted fern (Salvinia minima)

  • Growth height of 10 to 15 cm
  • floating plant
  • excellent starter plant for aquariums
  • floats freely in the water
  • equipped with green floating leaves
  • 1.5 cm tall, round
  • forms dense carpets

Notice: So that the small tufted fern does not die, it should only be cultivated in an aquarium with other aquatic plants and animal inhabitants. It does not survive long in bowls, buckets or other vessels that are only filled with water.

Rock fern (Pellaea rotundifolia)

  • Growth height of 20 to 30 cm
  • dense growth, creeping
  • Fronds 30 to 50 cm long, overhanging
  • dark green, leathery, shiny
  • robust room fern
  • excellent traffic light plant

Notice: Compared to the other types of house fern, the rock or pellet fern tolerates calcareous water and prolonged drought. For this reason, it is much easier to care for and ideal for beginners.

Cretan fern (Pteris cretica)

  • 30 to 90 cm high
  • dense growth, upright, overhanging
  • Leaves 50 to 60 cm long, lanceolate, leathery
  • filigree stems up to 20 cm long
  • Rhizomes form leaves up to 100 cm long
  • light green colour, dark edge, slightly shiny
  • well suited as a solitary plant
Source: Forest & Kim Starr, Starr-091115-1187-Pteris cretica-sori-Olinda-Maui (24872026542), edited from Plantopedia, CC BY 3.0 US

Moss fern (Selaginella apoda)

  • flat growth, forms dense cushions
  • well branched
  • reaches growth heights of 10 to 15 cm
  • reminiscent of moss cushions
  • yellow to deep green leaves, tips bear sporophylls
  • suitable for conservatories
  • ideal in small pots or hanging baskets
Can be planted as a room fern in a pot.

from O to R

Oil fern (Microsorum thailandicum)

  • slow growing indoor fern
  • lying to upright growth
  • up to 30 cm high and wide
  • intense blue foliage, shiny metallic
  • Underside colored blue-green
  • Leaves up to 30 cm long, leathery, robust
  • can be integrated as an accent or as a solitaire
  • can be combined in an appealing way due to the colour
  • tolerates full shade
Source: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Microsorum thailandicum kz01, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Rib fern (Blechnum gibbum)

  • up to 100 cm high room fern
  • upright growth, forms clumps
  • 2 different leaf shapes
  • sporulated fronds, up to 40 cm long, in the center of the fern
  • sporeless fronds, up to 50 cm long, outdoors
  • Frond light green, leathery, narrow
  • Rhizome forms into a stem in older specimens
  • evergreen fern
  • also suitable for garden planting
  • tolerates temperatures down to 3°C
Can be planted as a room fern in a pot.

from S to Z

Shield Fern (Polystichum luctuosum)

  • Growth height from 20 to 40 cm
  • forms clumps, dense growth
  • Frond up to 40 cm long
  • dark green leaves, black blades, pinnate
  • ideal for Asian design concepts
  • also suitable for garden planting
  • excellent in rock gardens
  • tolerates short periods of frost

Snake skin fern (Aglaomorpha coronans "Snake Leaf")

  • up to 50 cm high
  • upright growth, loose, overhanging
  • Leaf fronds up to 100 cm long
  • dark green leaves, oblong shaped
  • Foliage is reminiscent of snake skin
  • decorative accent
  • is ideal as a solitary plant or in plant columns

Black forest fern (Dryopteris cycadina)

  • grows 60 to 80 cm high
  • narrow growth, upright, loose
  • leaf fronds up to 60 cm long
  • dull green foliage, pinnate
  • black hairy rachis
  • evergreen fern
  • also suitable for garden planting
  • requires a lot of space
  • Conservatories are ideal as a location
Can be planted as a room fern in a pot. Source: Raffi Kojian, Gardenology.org-IMG 2351 rbgs11jan, edited by Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum)

  • 50 to 70 cm high
  • broad growth, loose
  • fronds up to 50 cm long
  • Stems thin and long
  • light green foliage, pinnate
  • can also be serrated or notched
  • decorative as a solitaire or in combination with other indoor ferns
  • also suitable for garden planting
Can be planted as a room fern in a pot.

Bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus)

  • 90 to 100 cm high growth
  • upright, sprawling room fern
  • overhanging fronds, lanceolate in shape
  • rich green, weakly to strongly wavy
  • Leaf fronds can take up a lot of space
  • Spore bearings clearly visible on the underside
  • considered an air purifier
  • decorative in extensive pot gardens

Dwarf clover fern (Marsilea crenata)

  • Growth height up to 10 cm
  • ground covering, long stems
  • Foliage resembles clover
  • young leaves brown, then intense green
  • decorative in pot gardens, plant columns or as a solitaire (e.g. on the desk)
  • also suitable as an underwater and aquarium fern
  • forms dense carpets in the water, up to 3 cm high
  • Leaf shape then rounded
Can also be planted in a pot.

Care instructions for indoor ferns

A big advantage of indoor ferns is their easy-care nature. The most important thing when cultivating potted plants is the location:

  • Light requirement: bright
  • no direct sun or shade
  • permanently warm (min. 12°C)
  • protected from drafts
  • not near radiators

If an ideal location is chosen, you hardly have to worry about the ferns. Regular water intake is particularly important. Ferns only need to be watered when the top layer of soil has dried. This will prevent waterlogging and rot. It is also important that the humidity in the immediate vicinity of the plant is high enough. At least 60 percent is necessary. The plants like to be sprayed regularly with lukewarm water to keep the fronds from drying out. The ferns do not actually need to be fertilized if you repot them regularly:

  • young indoor ferns: 1 to 2 years
  • adult specimens: 3 to 4 years
Stag's tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium)

If you still have the feeling that the ferns are lacking nutrients, you can fertilize as follows:

  • Use phosphorus fertilizer
  • Period: spring to late autumn
  • every 2 weeks

frequently asked Questions

Are house ferns poisonous?

Yes, all ferns are mildly to severely poisonous. Compared to most species, indoor ferns are classified as weakly poisonous plants and are therefore less dangerous to deal with directly. However, you should avoid eating the fronds or inhaling the spores directly, as doing so can cause stomach upset, nausea, and headaches. This also applies to your pets.

Are ferns evergreens?

Yes, the ferns are mainly evergreen plants. Indoor ferns inspire with their different shades of green all year round. In some species, the leaves periodically die off, which is indicated by a brown tint. Possible drought damage can be recognized by brown leaves with light-colored tips.

Can hard water be used for watering?

No, indoor ferns are plants that are sensitive to lime. For this reason you should only use stale, filtered or boiled water for watering and spraying the ferns. This has a positive effect on the vitality of the plants.

Do indoor ferns suffer from pests or diseases?

Pests and diseases are not a problem for the ferns. If the location is permanently too dry and the room fern is not sprayed, spider mites, scale insects and aphids can appear. Increase humidity, water adequately, and remove infested fronds to contain infestation.

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Garden plants