How to care for bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus)

Asplenium nidus · Nest fern

Bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus) — a tropical fern that grows on trees in the wild and forms a shuttlecock-shaped rosette of glossy, bright green, undivided fronds with a dark midrib and wavy edges. Indoors it slowly reaches 1–1.5 m; it has no flowers. Bird's nest fern needs partial shade and 16–30 °C. Water it about every 7 days while it grows and about every 12 days in the winter rest.

Checked against sources: November 5, 2026

Watering and repotting bird's nest fern through the year

It lives indoors all year, so it has no sowing or planting dates: it grows from March to September and rests from October to February (the other way round in the southern hemisphere).

Repot it about every 36 months.

When to plant bird's nest fern?

Plant or repot bird's nest fern in spring, as it starts into growth; early to midsummer also works. It is a houseplant, so it has no outdoor planting date and no frost decides it: just avoid autumn and winter, when growth slows and fresh compost stays wet too long. After that, move it to a slightly larger pot about every three years, or sooner once roots circle the pot or grow through the drainage holes.

Watering in the growing and resting halves of the year: Watering and repotting bird's nest fern through the year.

Sources: RHS: How to repot a plant · Penn State Extension: Repotting houseplants

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Latin name	Asplenium nidus
Family	Aspleniaceae
Also called	Nest fern
Light	Partial shade
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Repotting	every 36 months
Grown in	At home

Where does bird's nest fern grow?

8,977 records of the plant in gardens, fields and the wild worldwide; most photos come from Taiwan, Indonesia, Madagascar, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea.

World map: where bird's nest fern has been recorded — Darker green means more records. Photos are real observations from those countries — tap one to see it. Map and records: GBIF.org (2026-10-28), © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap. Photo: 胡正恆(Jackson Hu), SEMERU 2025, Marcin Dyderski, Patricia Lilas, Kevin Faccenda, Dana Lee Ling, Sofie Meeus, Samuel Brown (CC BY / CC0).

Bird's nest fern, Taiwan — Darker green means more records. Photos are real observations from those countries — tap one to see it. Map and records: GBIF.org (2026-10-28), © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap. Photo: 胡正恆(Jackson Hu), SEMERU 2025, Marcin Dyderski, Patricia Lilas, Kevin Faccenda, Dana Lee Ling, Sofie Meeus, Samuel Brown (CC BY / CC0).

Bird's nest fern care by growth stage

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	16…30 °C	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 44 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 74 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 104 days into the stage
Winter rest	every 12 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Bright, indirect light, such as an east-, west- or north-facing window. Too much direct sun turns the fronds yellow or stops growth; in a south-facing room keep it behind a sheer curtain.

Soil

A rich, free-draining, slightly acidic mix with plenty of organic matter, for example peat-free houseplant or ericaceous compost with some grit. Use a pot only slightly larger than the root ball; overpotting leads to root rot.

Care

Water when the top 2–3 cm of compost feel dry, pouring around the edge of the pot rather than into the centre of the rosette, and never leave it standing in water. Do not let it dry out completely, but too much water is the more common killer, so check the compost before watering if fronds turn brown. Use rainwater or room-temperature water where possible. Keep it at 16–30 °C, away from radiators, heat vents and cold draughts, and raise humidity with a pebble tray or humidifier, especially in winter; a bright bathroom suits it well. Feed monthly from late spring to late summer with houseplant fertiliser at half strength. It grows slowly and needs repotting only every few years, in spring. Remove only dead or damaged fronds and handle the brittle fronds gently. Watch for scale insects and mealybugs; insecticide sprays damage ferns, so wipe pests off by hand.

Pests and diseases of Bird's nest fern

1 problem is recorded for bird's nest fern; it has a page with symptoms, treatment and prevention.

Pests

Scale insects

Plant lists it is in

Part of: Houseplants · Houseplants for shade · Houseplants you rarely repot

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.