Gardening Houseplants Choosing Houseplants 9 Indoor Ferns That Will Make Your Home a Tropical Paradise Add these ferns to your houseplant collection for a little lush greenery. By Savanna Bous Savanna Bous Instagram Website Savanna Bous is a digital editorial assistant at Better Homes and Gardens. She graduated from Drake University in the spring of 2022 with degrees in magazine media, advertising, and digital media production. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on May 2, 2023 Reviewed by Sylvia Duax Reviewed by Sylvia Duax Sylvia Duax has over 15 years of experience as a professional Horticulturist with expertise in: sustainable garden maintenance techniques; Southeastern U.S., especially in the mid-Atlantic regional gardening; native plants; wildlife gardening; small space, urban and container gardening and community engagement. Learn about BHG's Gardening Review Board Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Brie Passano Many types of ferns thrive indoors and add a lush, tropical look to any room. This diverse group of plants comes in an array of colors and textures, including delicate, lacy fronds and smooth, substantial foliage. Here are nine recommendations to get you started, plus tips for indoor fern care and display ideas. 01 of 09 Staghorn Fern Brie Passano This plant draws attention for two reasons: their namesake forked fronds that look a bit like antlers and their unique growth. Staghorns are epiphytes, which means that in nature they grow on other plants (but they aren't parasites on the host plant). So they don't need to grow in a pot of soil like other plants do. Instead, use them as statement-making displays, like mounted on boards hung on the wall. Water them like you would air plants, by misting them every day or soaking them in water weekly. Name: Platycerium bifurcatum Growing Conditions: medium to bright light and high humidity Size: to 3 feet tall and wide 02 of 09 Maidenhair Fern Jay Wilde Maidenhairs have a reputation for being somewhat challenging to grow indoors. That's because they love moisture, meaning they need lots of water and humidity. So if you are a serial overwaterer, this is the plant for you. Throw in a daily misting or two, and these ferns will reward you with fine-textured fronds on long, black, wiry stems. Name: Adiantum raddianum Growing Conditions: medium to bright light and high humidity Size: to 2 feet tall and wide 03 of 09 Lemon Button Fern Brie Passano This plant is cute as a button with its tiny, golden-green, rounded leaflets (that give it the namesake buttonlike appearance). Those long, arching fronds work well in hanging baskets or a tabletop terrarium. The unfussy fern lends lushness to any decorating style. Name: Nephrolepis cordifolia 'Lemon Button' Growing Conditions: medium to bright light and high humidity Size: to 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide 04 of 09 Kangaroo Paw Fern Brie Passano Shiny, dark green fronds grow into an unkempt mound reminiscent of Medusa's hair. Native to Australia, this fern got its name from its long leaves, similar to kangaroos' large feet. Like rabbit's foot fern, it features thick rhizomes that may creep down the sides of its container. Name: Microsorium diversifolium (syn. Phymatosorus) Growing Conditions: medium to bright light and average humidity Size: to 2 feet tall and wide 05 of 09 Crocodile Fern Jay Wilde The straplike, bright green leaves (called fronds on ferns) have a decidedly reptilian, scaly look that doesn't align with what most people picture as a fern. Its fronds also explain its common name. Crocodile ferns make quite a statement when full grown, often reaching 2-3 feet long. Name: Microsorium musifolium 'Crocodyllus' Growing Conditions: medium to low light and high humidity Size: to 3 feet tall and wide 06 of 09 Rabbit's Foot Fern Brie Passano This beauty features dark green, fine-texture, dainty-looking fronds and fuzzy rootlike stems (rhizomes) that creep down the side of its pot or along the soil. Grayish white hairs cover the rhizomes that inspired the common name. Show off (or even pet) those rhizomes by growing it in hanging planters. Name: Humata tyermanii Growing Conditions: medium to bright light and high humidity Size: to 2 feet tall and wide 07 of 09 Bird's Nest Fern Phoebe Cheong Leathery fronds with wavy edges radiate from the center of the plant to create a striking vase shape that vaguely resembles a nest. Because these ferns love high humidity, they are great plants to grow in your bathroom, if you have a window providing plenty of indirect light. Name: Asplenium nidus Growing Conditions: medium to bright light and high humidity Size: to 5 feet tall and wide (but usually 1-2 feet indoors) 08 of 09 Silver Brake Fern Jay Wilde We love the two-tone foliage on this eye-catching plant, which also goes by the names silver lace fern and slender brake ferns. Each frond has several slender leaflets with a pale silvery strip down the middle. The leaflets also have crested (or branched) tips. Keep this moisture-loving fern happy by never letting the soil completely dry out between waterings. Name: Pteris cretica 'Mayi' Growing Conditions: medium to bright light and high humidity Size: to 2 feet tall and wide 09 of 09 Cotton Candy Boston Fern Brie Passano Boston ferns make excellent houseplants because they aren't too picky about anything beyond getting regular watering and some bright, indirect light. They have course-texture fronds and can get quite large at maturity. Some varieties stay small (like 'Cotton Candy', shown here, that we love for its extra-fine, feathery fronds). Name: Nephrolepis exaltata 'Cotton Candy' Growing Conditions: medium to bright light and average humidity Size: to 1 foot tall and wide Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit