Binomial nomenclature: Platycerium grande

Description: This large fern produces enormous sterile fronds, like a large battle shield, with forks off of the top edge. The fertile fronds have two lobes with long fingers hanging down off of their lower edge. In between those two lobes, on the underside of the frond is a large spore patch. Each fertile frond also has a second spore patch located on the lower side of a large triangular lobe.

Size: This plant is one of the four "giant" staghorns. The fertile fronds can reach lengths of 6'. The spread across the top of the sterile fronds can be 6' as well.

Light: Bright filtered shade.

Water: Water regularly, but don't keep it too wet. This species likes high humidity.

Fertilizer: I fertilize all of my staghorn ferns with dilute (half strength) orchid fertilizer, once a month during the spring and summer. Many people put banana peels on top of their staghorn fern. I have found that this only serves to invite insects and rats to your plants, and I haven't found it to be of any benefit.

Cultivation: This fern, prefers to be mounted on a sphagnum covered wood plaque. P. grande does not do well growing on a hanging basket. None of the giant staghorn ferns produce "pups", so asexual reproduction is not possible with these species.

Pests: Scale and mealy bug, sometimes attack P. grande. I use imidacloprid (Bayer, rose and shrub)