Plant Help

[darkness975]

Hi all,

Curious if anyone here can shed some light on this.

I have a Japanese fern that does not appear to be doing the best. It seems that most or all of the new growths are dying off and there is some browning and curling in the existing foliage.

My thoughts on possible explanations include:

Too much or little water, not enough light, iron deficiency, or nutrient deficiency.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[fcat]

I haven't dabbled with ferns but I used to be obsessed with calathea, who love their humidity. The brown tips were usually a result of a humidity dip when the new leaf was emerging/unfurling.

If I wasn't running 4 humidifiers in an 8x8 room I would've seen more browning. Not even a spot though. My personal best was 95% and water was dripping off the ceiling. I swear I haven't been that cozy since my mother's womb

Reddit says Make sure the nest is completely above the soil and theirs became much happier when moved closer to the humidifier

No recent repots?

 

[Wolfram1]

its an epiphyte, that means it wants to get wet often but drain away the moisture quickly

second it collects leaf litter in the top to keep the new leaves protected and moist as well as fertilizing it slowly

i would put it in a pot half full with drainage clay and the top half dirt maybe with a layer of moss on top, around the base of the plant

i'd cut up some leaf-litter to put into the crown

new leaves look fine though?

very slow growing

and yea humidity may make a difference

 

[darkness975]

The soil was dryish earlier when I checked. This is my other halfs plant so I don't usually even look at it much.

The pot drains so perhaps I should water it more.

 

[darkness975]

No recent repots

No

 

[darkness975]

I should add that it doesn't get any direct light where it lives which I was led to believe is okay.

 

[Wolfram1]

depends, if it is reasonably bright like right next to where the sun reaches into your room it should be fine but most plants do better with more light

i have my Platycerium in an east facing window where it only gets direct light in the early morning

it has gotten quite big and i am glad i used heavy lava rock as a drainage layer or it might start to tip over as it dries out


these P. bifurcatum are fairly drought tolerant, i have not cared for an Asplenium nidus cultivar yet so i cant speak of personal experience with your variety of fern sadly.

in nature they do allways collect leaf litter in the crown, which helps them stay moist where it matters even as the fern tolerates dry hot days so if you think that it is struggling because of the humidity i would really put some shredded leaves in there and gently water from the top

small enough that the fronds can push through

add on:
i see now, 3rd picture, that the fronds seem to have died from the top, which isn't a good sign. is that right?

have you kept it consistently moist or have you allowed it to go from wet to dry and wet again?

i can't be certain but i would imagine the fern enjoying to dry out a bit between waterings...

have you checked for pests?

 

[darkness975]

have you kept it consistently moist or have you allowed it to go from wet to dry and wet again?

I'd say her watering schedule has leaned more towards the dryer side overall. Also it's not the best lit where it is bit there aren't too many options for placement.

 

[TheraMygalo]

Aw, the joys of moisture and humidity. Plants. A place where both words do have their place.

Ferns. Beautiful plants that have special needs. Also a variety of greenery I cannot keep in my home at the moment.

Browning is mostly the result of three culprits: low humidity, too much watering, or not enough.

some issues can be solved by changing the substrate. Something light and airy allows for more watering without the clogging.

sometimes then ambient dryness is overwhelming. Tolerance level is where people find themselves. Some ferns will brown no matter your efforts.

watering. That can be controled, but is affected by substrate and weather. A good rule of thumb, never water when it will be raining.

temperature will come into play. It is sort of like tarantulas. My field of work is horticulture, and browning is always a big issue. To solve it, requires observation in the care provided. And adapt to weather. Dew point, ambient humidity and sun, will factor in this.

i hold back on watering when i know the rain is upon me. There will be no sun and natural heat to get that photosynthesis working.

ferns are usualy found in the woods where light is dim, humidity high, and humus drained. Certain ferns are adapted to bog like conditions. The size of the leaf is also on indication of how much light they can stand.

your variety is a beautiful kind of fern. I am sure a few tweeks will reduce the browning. If not, a higher tolerance level of browning will do.

When i keep ferns, they are browner in winter. When i keep them outdoors in the shade, with a constant moist substrate, they are lush and thriving.

North windows are excellent ferns, especially if there alot of light, the plant is close to the window and there are few outdoor obstacles.

 

[darkness975]

Aw, the joys of moisture and humidity. Plants. A place where both words do have their place.

Ferns. Beautiful plants that have special needs. Also a variety of greenery I cannot keep in my home at the moment.

Browning is mostly the result of three culprits: low humidity, too much watering, or not enough.

some issues can be solved by changing the substrate. Something light and airy allows for more watering without the clogging.

sometimes then ambient dryness is overwhelming. Tolerance level is where people find themselves. Some ferns will brown no matter your efforts.

watering. That can be controled, but is affected by substrate and weather. A good rule of thumb, never water when it will be raining.

temperature will come into play. It is sort of like tarantulas. My field of work is horticulture, and browning is always a big issue. To solve it, requires observation in the care provided. And adapt to weather. Dew point, ambient humidity and sun, will factor in this.

i hold back on watering when i know the rain is upon me. There will be no sun and natural heat to get that photosynthesis working.

ferns are usualy found in the woods where light is dim, humidity high, and humus drained. Certain ferns are adapted to bog like conditions. The size of the leaf is also on indication of how much light they can stand.

your variety is a beautiful kind of fern. I am sure a few tweeks will reduce the browning. If not, a higher tolerance level of browning will do.

When i keep ferns, they are browner in winter. When i keep them outdoors in the shade, with a constant moist substrate, they are lush and thriving.

North windows are excellent ferns, especially if there alot of light, the plant is close to the window and there are few outdoor obstacles.

The watering has been increased. I suspect that is the culprit. Time will tell.

 

[TheraMygalo]

The watering has been increased. I suspect that is the culprit. Time will tell.

Plants are special. They do absolutely nothing while we wait in anguish. I hate them with a passion. And that is why it is my trade.

 

[darkness975]

Plants are special. They do absolutely nothing while we wait in anguish. I hate them with a passion. And that is why it is my trade.

I used to work in the industry too. But ferns are one group I didn't really work with so I'm not as knowledgeable on those.

 

[The Snark]

My experienceS - NOT experience - with these amazing plants.
I was given one, very healthy with leaves around 3 feet long. I immediately planted it in the shade in dirt and kept it well watered. It became sickly. Then I saw it in various gardens, always in deep shade, used as show pieces. They were always perched on top of an old decaying stump or log. Clue 1 as @Wolfram1 pointed out, epiphytes. So I moved it on top of a Jackfruit stump and watered it every day. Over a course of about a half year some leaves were 4 feet long and it looked fabulous. Then a helpful neighbor came by, explained how to make it grow even more attractive and cut back all it's leaves, It promptly died.
Then a horticulture oriented restaurant owner had a couple in baskets attached to the side of trees keeping staghorns company. A spray mister ran for an hour or two every day on the trunks., Another clue for me.
Then I visited the Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens. The pride and joy of the country due her interest in botany and funding the place. In the hothouse, controlled ventilation, there were about 10-20 of these ferns in amongst the fantastically crowded other plants. Crowded, no soil visible and average view distance, about 10 feet. Pure deep jungle environment. deep shade. Most of these ferns had leaves around six feet long. some with up close to 40 or more leaves and new leaves unrolling on most.
So humidity as high as you can get it and constant moisture on the root mass, temperature between 70F to 90F dipping to about 50F at night during the cool season. Very typical tropical rain forest epiphyte.
Hope this helps.

Sirikit Gardens Sorry, no pics of these ferns. (Just to mention, we are thinking of re-visitng the QSBG a little later this year during the rainy (few tourists). If anyone has special requests of pics of certain plants I can try to get some decent ones. Lay ID data on me so I have a clue what to look for. The pictured hot house and the green houses sport just about every plant in SE Asia.)

 

[darkness975]

My experienceS - NOT experience - with these amazing plants.
I was given one, very healthy with leaves around 3 feet long. I immediately planted it in the shade in dirt and kept it well watered. It became sickly. Then I saw it in various gardens, always in deep shade, used as show pieces. They were always perched on top of an old decaying stump or log. Clue 1 as @Wolfram1 pointed out, epiphytes. So I moved it on top of a Jackfruit stump and watered it every day. Over a course of about a half year some leaves were 4 feet long and it looked fabulous. Then a helpful neighbor came by, explained how to make it grow even more attractive and cut back all it's leaves, It promptly died.
Then a horticulture oriented restaurant owner had a couple in baskets attached to the side of trees keeping staghorns company. A spray mister ran for an hour or two every day on the trunks., Another clue for me.
Then I visited the Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens. The pride and joy of the country due her interest in botany and funding the place. In the hothouse, controlled ventilation, there were about 10-20 of these ferns in amongst the fantastically crowded other plants. Crowded, no soil visible and average view distance, about 10 feet. Pure deep jungle environment. deep shade. Most of these ferns had leaves around six feet long. some with up close to 40 or more leaves and new leaves unrolling on most.
So humidity as high as you can get it and constant moisture on the root mass, temperature between 70F to 90F dipping to about 50F at night during the cool season. Very typical tropical rain forest epiphyte.
Hope this helps.

Sirikit Gardens Sorry, no pics of these ferns. (Just to mention, we are thinking of re-visitng the QSBG a little later this year during the rainy (few tourists). If anyone has special requests of pics of certain plants I can try to get some decent ones. Lay ID data on me so I have a clue what to look for. The pictured hot house and the green houses sport just about every plant in SE Asia.)
View attachment 475724

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She looks happy lol

 

[Wolfram1]

If anyone has special requests of pics of certain plants I can try to get some decent ones. Lay ID data on me so I have a clue what to look for. The pictured hot house and the green houses sport just about every plant in SE Asia.)

Well, well well ... not sure if making that offer was smart of you, but since you are offering i will give u a list

First up Thaumatophyllum, any species you can find really, this is the T. bipinnatifidum in Budapest:

See if the have any climbing a tree .
My fafourite of the genus is probably T. spruceanum, and the funny thing is that the tissue cultured one i have does not sport extrafloral nectaries compared to the one that was brought over as a cutting in the past. See if you can find it, its not rare so they probably have it.

Philodendron are a must too, look out for any specimens that are climbing and have matured. The change in leaf size and form is always impressive. Some like P. radiatum can get huge pinnate leaves P. warscewiczii is also impressive, one i still need to get, and ofc. in asia you do have some of the larger creeping varieties that really have no buisness as a houseplant and are rare in europe, but are incredible nontheless, P. melinonii or P. giganteum for example.

Anthuriums werent really my fafourites since most people seem to gravitate towards the ornamental leaf type that does not grow well in dry household conditions, but i recently discovered that the strap-leafed Anthuriums like A. friedrichsthalii, A. gracile, A. wendlingerii, A. vittarigolium or A. pendens are easy to grow and best of all the leaves can of some can get over 2m long. I personally just love long slender leaves.

Look out for berries, these Anthurium seeds germinate readily in moss and are easy to care for and they are often in flower/carry ripe berries in botanical gardens so always have a little jar ready!
You dont want them to fall off and go to waste do you?

Monstera, always a joy to see, perhaps see if they have a large M. deliciosa, they should, or some of the more obscure ones, i really like M. subpinnata for example but the transformation of M. dubia from a shingling plant to a lage perforated and pinnate leaf type in the upper canopy is also incredible.

Don't get hung up on single species either there is too much cool stuff to mention.

Now, tree ferns. Anything you can find really. I'd love to see the variety they have.

I am not 100% sure since i grew it from spores, but this could be Alsophila australis in my Poecilotheria subfusca terrarium, its certainly growing upwards much faster than any fern i have seen so far. No pictures of young plants to find so i have nothing to compare it to...


The bromeliad family is also incredible.
This is fun for example:

Typical bromeliad structure but broad, leaf-like expansions on the leaf tips.

Palms for sure. And dont dismiss the native plants or whatever specialty the garden has chosen for themselves.

Trees are also a point of interest, Ficus benghalensis and other banyans.

Don't dismiss Mosses or Selaginella either.

In short, i expect many pictures .

PS: If you could figure out what species or possibly cultivar of Aeschynanthus radicans this is i would be extra grateful.

Pretty sure this is a cultivar since the asian plant craze seems to focus on creating the most colourful foliage possible. The sunstressed leaves are completly purple/red.

 

[The Snark]

@Wolfram1 Research! This is going to be fun. I believe I recognize the stalk of T. bipinnatifidum and have seen several that look quite like Aeschynanthus radicans. One is very popular and has wicked serrated razor edges to it's leaves. I had one in a pot on the walkway to our porch that sliced me several times. P. Giganteum is a no brainer. Maejo University (the major agricultural college of N Thailand) has numerous show piece specimens decorating their forested quad.
As for the rest of the shopping list that may take some time. I'm going to smoke out the curates at Sirikit and try to get my mitts on their cultivation list. Figure a few months.

@Wolfram1 Addendum. Maejo U is only 10 miles from our house, Sirikit an hours drive. You would lose it, and probably a lot of money visiting Khamthiang plant market here. The more common plants, for Asia. An area of about 5 acres hosting around 100 plant vendors. Never know what can be found there. I found a Honduras Mahogany.

Khamthiang Flower Market - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

www.tripadvisor.com

 

[The Snark]

@Wolfram1 I managed to get a photo shoot of the common exotic plants in a friends garden. I shrunk the pics and well fudge, hoping Imgur doesn't get mad at me. Or the AB forum engine... Imgur has a mind of it's own as to which way is up. I didn't include any of their orchids. They aren't really interested in them. Just have 30 or 40.

Communal growth. The ferm provides moisture and shade for the volunteers beneath it.

It can't decide which is it's trunk.

Local vegetation tries to get in on the exotics act.

This puppy be about 20 years old, about 7 feet across

A cactus tree. At one time it had grown about 40 feet tall with branches 40-50 feet long. Was used to hold up the mister system.

2 foot tall root clump. All these ferns are epiphytes. Does Not Like Soil. Only tolerates it.

Some kind(s) of jungle epiphytes

If you have to trim back these ferns first cut about half the leaf off and wait until several new leaves have sprouted. Figure a half year or more.

 

[Wolfram1]

@Wolfram1 I managed to get a photo shoot of the common exotic plants in a friends garden.

gorgeous garden & plants, thx!

awesome to see such old ones.

here is a little of what i saw during my holiday in sweden, most of the special ones were quite small

some variegation in miniature


these clumpers make such lush pillows of green

ofc there are mushrooms everywhere

strange to see them gone rotten but still look perfect from the outside for weeks

and some mountain view


quite a contrast to a tropical paradise

anyway @darkness975 has it recovered?

 

[darkness975]

It was initially looking better but now it looks like it might be struggling a bit again. I'll see if I can get some more pictures @Wolfram1