An elegant fern with a beautiful blue hue!
Phlebodium aureum
flee-BOH-dee-um AW-re-um
Common Names: Blue Star Fern, Golden Polypody, Gold Foot Fern, Gold Scale Fern, Rabbits Foot Fern, Cabbage Palm Fern
Family: Polypodiaceae
Origin: Eastern Tropical Americas
Growth: Clumping
Light: Bright, indirect
Foot Candles: 100 - 175
Water: Keep evenly moist
Humidity: 50% - 75%
Temperature: 18°C - 28°C
Soil: Peat-based potting soil
Container: Self-watering, no drainage
Nutrients: Not required
Propagation: Spore, tissue culture, or division of rhizome
Interiorscape Use: Living wall, desktop, scape with water feature
Common Pests: Mealybugs, Aphids, Spider Mites, Thrips.
Common Issues: Root rot when sitting in water. Leaves brown when over-watered, leaves droop and drop if under-watered, leaves crisp with too much light.
Comments: One of the few houseplants available with a blue colouration. If grown as a container houseplant: a drip line, ‘plant-nanny’ system, or self-watering planter with reservoir is recommended. Intermittent waterings can easily stress this fern. The underside of the fronds have golden scales that produce spores. Dies quickly with insufficient humidity.
Toxicity: Safe.