Crocodile Fern
Long, undivided, light green fronds with a puckered, scaly texture exactly like crocodile skin. A tropical epiphyte that wants humidity and steady moisture, rewards it with fronds to three feet, and is safe for pets.
The crocodile fern does not look like a fern. The fronds are long, strap-shaped and undivided, like a bird's nest fern, but the surface is raised into a network of dark-veined scales that looks exactly like reptile skin. New fronds are a pale, almost translucent green; older ones darken and the texture deepens.
It is an epiphyte from Southeast Asian rainforests, growing on trees, which tells you what it wants: warmth, humidity, filtered light, and a loose mix that holds moisture without going soggy. Get the humidity right and it is not difficult. Safe for pets.
Light
Medium, indirect light. A north window or filtered east light suits it. It tolerates low light better than most ferns and keeps its texture. Direct sun scorches the thin fronds within an afternoon.
Water
Keep the mix evenly moist, watering when the surface is just dry, every five days in summer and every eight or so in winter. Water the soil rather than the crown, and let it drain. It wilts and browns at the tips when it dries out and rots if it sits in water.
Soil and potting
A loose, moisture-holding epiphyte mix: potting soil with coco coir, orchid bark and perlite. Drainage essential. Repot every two years in spring into a pot two inches wider; it spreads by rhizome across the surface.
Feeding
Half-strength balanced feed every six weeks in spring and summer.
Propagation
Division of the rhizome in spring: cut sections with roots and a few fronds and pot up. Keep warm and humid until new fronds show.
In a hot, dry home
Needs help. It wants fifty-five percent humidity, so a bathroom with a window, a pebble tray with a plant group, or a humidifier in summer. Keep it well away from the AC vent. Water every three to four days in the hottest weeks and use filtered water to avoid mineral marks on the fronds.
Problems and fixes
Brown, crispy frond edges
Likely cause: Low humidity or dry soil
Fix: Raise humidity; keep the soil moist.
Fronds yellowing at the base, soggy mix
Likely cause: Overwatering
Fix: Let the surface dry; improve drainage.
Pale, scorched fronds
Likely cause: Direct sun
Fix: Move to filtered light.
Black spots
Likely cause: Water sitting in the crown
Fix: Water the soil, not the centre of the plant.
Crocodile Fern questions
Is the crocodile fern pet safe?
Yes. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Why are the new fronds so pale?
Normal. New fronds emerge light and translucent and darken as they mature.
How big does it get?
Fronds reach two to three feet in a happy plant. It spreads sideways rather than up.
Plants with a similar rhythm
Blue Star Fern
- Light
- Low to bright indirect
- Water
- Weekly
- Pets
- Safe
