14 Best Indoor Ferns to Grow

BLUE STAR FERN (Phlebodium aureum)

Habit: Mounding arching habit
Height/Spread: 10 to 14 inches tall, 16 inches wide
Exposure: Low to medium light

Fronds are ruffled and scalloped, forming a dense compact clump. New leaves are pale green, developing a blue-green patina as they age. Blue star fern is an epiphyte with fuzzy creeping rhizomes that emerge from the base. Use as a tabletop decoration for an office or a humid area such as a bathroom.

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CROCODILE FERN (Microsorum musifolium)

Habit: Mounding habit
Height/Spread: 1 to 2 feet tall, 3 to 5 feet wide; will stay smaller indoors
Exposure: Bright filtered light from a north or eastern window

Also known as alligator fern, this variety is named for the distinctive green veining that forms a crocodile-like pattern on the foliage. The strappy fronds are glossy green with darker green veins. This epiphyte forms dense rhizomes just beneath the soil surface from which new leaves emerge. Provide good drainage and a humid environment.

FOOTED FERN (Phlebosia hybrid)

Habit: Mounding habit
Height/Spread: 10 to 20 inches tall, up to 34 inches wide
Exposure: Low to medium light

This rare hybrid fern produces wavy green foliage with deeply dissected leaves. This epiphyte spreads by fuzzy creeping rhizomes from which new leaves emerge. Prefers high humidity but is more tolerant of variable humidity than some other ferns. Display on a desktop or in a hanging basket.

JAPANESE BIRD'S NEST FERN (Asplenium antiquum)

Habit: Mounding arching habit
Height/Spread: 1 to 2 feet tall, 12 to 18 inches wide
Exposure: Low to medium light

Glossy bright green leaves with wavy edges grow into a uniform rosette with a nest-like center, hence the common name. The palm-like shape is attractive when displayed as a tabletop specimen in an office or living room. Provide good drainage for this epiphyte and place in a north facing window or other low light area.

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BIRD'S NEST FERN (Asplenium nidus)

Habit: Vase-shaped habit
Height/Spread: 3 to 5 feet tall, 2 to 3 feet wide
Exposure: Bright indirect light

Bright green fronds with dark midribs form a rosette with a nest-like center, hence the common name. The foliage is wavy along the edges and not dissected like most ferns, giving a robust appearance. Epiphytic in its natural habitat, this tropical evergreen fern is most often grown as a potted houseplant, with fronds up to 2 feet long.

BOSTON FERN (Nephrolepis exaltata)

Habit: Mounding arching habit
Height/Spread: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
Exposure: Bright indirect light indoors, partial sun to shade when outdoors

Boston fern is characterized by dissected lance-shaped green leaves and a uniform mounding habit. Popularized during the Victorian era, this tropical evergreen fern is grown as a houseplant and commonly displayed outdoors during summer in hanging baskets or containers.

BUTTON FERN (Pellaea rotundifolia)

Habit: Mounding habit
Height/Spread: 12 to 18 inches tall and wide
Exposure: Bright indirect light

Button fern is a New Zealand native with tiny button-shaped leaflets that occur along the entire length of the delicate stems. The arching fronds can reach up to 18 inches long, while the green leaf stalks turn dark red as they age. This petite evergreen fern can be displayed as a tabletop accent, in a hanging basket or decorative pot.

CRETAN BRAKE FERN (Pteris cretica)

Habit: Upright clumping habit
Height/Spread: 18 to 24 inches tall and wide
Exposure: Bright indirect light

Also known as ribbon fern, this striking variegated fern has pale gray-green fronds with bold white stripes at the center. The deeply dissected finger-like leaves and open airy habit create a graceful elegant appearance. Display on a shelf or tabletop. Plants can be placed outdoors in a shady spot during warmer months.

KANGAROO FERN (Phymatosorus diversifolius)

Habit: Compact spreading habit
Height/Spread: 1 foot tall, 2 to 4 feet wide
Exposure: Medium to bright indirect light

Also known as kangaroo paw fern, this evergreen fern has glossy dark green fronds which resemble a kangaroo footprint. Epiphytic in its native habit of Australia and New Zealand, kangaroo fern spreads by furry rhizomes, and can be trained as a climber. Allow to trail in hanging baskets, train up a moss pole or display as a tabletop specimen.

KIMBERLY QUEEN FERN (Nephrolepis obliterata)

Habit: Mounding arching habit
Height/Spread: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
Exposure: Bright indirect light

This lush evergreen fern, native to Australia, is characterized by deeply dissected sword-shaped fronds. The graceful arching habit makes this fern suitable to grow in hanging baskets or as a tabletop specimen. Plants can be placed outdoors in warmer months. Provide high humidity to prevent browning of leaves.

LEMON BUTTON FERN (Nephrolepis cordifolia)

Habit: Compound arching habit
Height/Spread: 12 inches tall and wide
Exposure: Low to bright indirect light

Lemon button fern is similar to Boston fern, but with rounded button-like leaflets that grow the entire length of the long sword-like fronds. The foliage emits a light lemony scent, helping to refresh indoor air. Plant in a terrarium or display on a desk or tabletop. Plants are more tolerant of neglect than other ferns. Can be grown outdoors as a tender perennial in USDA zones 8-10.

MOTHER FERN (Asplenium bulbiferum)

Mother fern is named for the offsets on the foliage that fall to the ground to produce new plants. Finely cut evergreen fronds have a feathery texture that complements the graceful arching habit. Grow this New Zealand native fern in a hanging basket or display on an office desk or living room table. Can also be grown outdoors as a tender perennial in USDA zones 9-11.

RABBIT'S FOOT FERN (Davallia fejeensis)

Named for the fuzzy brown rhizomes that resemble rabbit’s feet, this epiphyte has broad, deeply dissected fronds that grow in a triangular shape. Native to Fiji, rabbit’s foot fern can be grown in a hanging basket or on a wall mounted plaque to showcase the trailing rhizomes. Display in a shallow pot on a desk or tabletop.

STAGHORN FERN (Platycerium bifurcatum)

Staghorn fern, named for the thick green fronds that grow in an antler-like structure, is a slow growing epiphyte typically grown on a plaque. This tropical, native to Australia and Asia, is slow growing, but becomes an impressive size once it reaches maturity. Display as a decorative accent on a wall or fence outdoors in warmer months and overwinter indoors as a houseplant.