Staghorn Fern (Platycerium superbum de Jonch. & Hennipman)

This Staghorn Fern (Platycerium superbum de Jonch. & Hennipman) hangs from a large live oak (Quercus virginiana Mill.) tree in the backyard. Native to Australia and Indonesia, this fern is now about 10' tall and 8' wide. It hangs from heavy nylon rope and is gradually pulling down the very strong limb of the live oak.

I originally collected this specimen from a grower in Pensacola, Florida in 1990. It moved to the lakehouse in Deltona in 1995 and hung from a live oak overlooking the lake, there, until the hurricanes of 2004, at which time I moved it to Debary to a more secluded (from wind) location. It obviously thrives despite harsh extremes of heat, drought, flood and occasional frost.

There is some discussion in the scientific literature about how a related species Platycerium bifurcatum is naturalizing itself in southern parts of Florida. A synopsis of the literature and the plant's classification are included below. Note that Platycerium bifurcatum (Cav.) C. Chr. is locally referred to as 'elkhorn fern.'

I have have witnessed no naturalization of either species. Limiting factors to naturalization likely include occasional frost and mammals not present in this species' native range (the common eastern grey squirrel, for example). The squirrels that occur at this latitude are generally Sciurus carolinensis; rodents that would not be found in the Platycerium's natural environment.

Neither Staghorn Fern nor Elkhorn Fern should be confused with Rhus typhina L. or Staghorn Sumac, which generally does not occur in Florida but is widely found in the foothills of the Appalachians.

Staghorn Fern Classification:

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Division: Pteridophyta – Ferns
Class: Filicopsida
Order: Polypodiales
Family: Polypodiaceae – Polypody family
Genus: Platycerium Desv.
Species: Platycerium superbum de Jonch. & Hennipman – staghorn fern

Technical Abstract: The staghorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum) is a common ornamental in Florida which is native to Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia. Plants of this fern have colonized trees in both residential and native live oak forests in Broward County in southeastern Florida. The plants colonizing trees in residential areas are considered to be locally spread from cultivated plants in nearby trees, but the plants colonizing native forests are thought to be part of the incipient naturalization. This naturalization is expected to persist because the some of the colonizing plants are reproducing and the species appears to be able to tolerate the cold and drought which occur periodically in the region.