Stag Party

Many years ago, so many I cannot remember being without them, my mother or someone, maybe my dentist, gave me a staghorn fern...one Platycerium bifurcatum. Through the years, one plant has become many. Some were given away or sold in yard sales. The ones that remain have been either divided and mounted, or were given their very own structures to cling to. Some have become monsters taking over a goodly amount of Casa Grande's real estate. They are ridiculously easy to grow, acting as epiphytes taking their nourishment from rainfall, or whatever seems to come out of the air.

Occasionally, if I think of it, I'll spray some liquid organic fertilizer on them. I hear they like banana peels also. Southern California summers are pretty hot and dry, so I've planted these in baskets or on boards and mounted them to somewhat shady spots, but they can take an amazing amount of sun and abuse.



The brown on the tips does not indicate that the plant is dried out. Called sporangia, they hold spores which, when germinated, form new plants. Both basal and foliar fronds are covered to varying degrees, with small stellate (star-shaped) hairs giving them a silvery cast. These hairs provide some protection from insect pests and conserve moisture.

Staghorns: get some growing and soon you will have your own stag party! No joke!