Frosty Fern, Selaginiela krausianna

 

 Frosty Ferns

By Kim Willis These articles are copyrighted and may not be copied or used without the permission of the author.

A pretty little plant that looks like a fern tipped in white is often sold in stores around Christmas, many times with a red fake bird stuck in the pot. Frosty fern, Selaginiela krausianna variegatus is actually a club moss, a fern relative. There’s also a variety that has golden tipped leaves. Frosty fern native to the Azores and parts of Africa.  It is also common in New Zealand, where it has naturalized and is considered a pest plant. But with the right care it can make a nice houseplant.

This plant has attributes of both mosses and ferns, but club mosses are technically neither. The leaves are flat overlapping scales with a fork at the end. Each leaf has a single vein. In Frosty ferns the leaf tips are creamy white. The plant doesn’t grow too tall, 6-8 inches high and could be trimmed if that’s too high for you. Unlike mosses it has roots, although they grow shallowly. Club mosses reproduce by both spores and from rooting plant stems near the tip.

Frosty fern isn’t the easiest houseplant to grow, but why should everything be easy?  If you do manage to get it right it is a lovely plant and something a bit different.

Despite the frosty name this plant must be kept warm. The ideal temperature is 70-75 degrees F.  Temperatures should not fall below 50 degrees.  Keep it out of drafts and cover it well when going from store to car in the winter.

The biggest need of Frosty fern however, is a relatively high humidity level.  Humidity levels should be above 50%.  This can be achieved by growing the plants near a humidifier, on a humidity tray or in a terrarium. Do not mist them, this often causes fungal disease. Sometimes plants near aquariums will do well. One of those “rain forest” shower stalls with good lighting would probably be like heaven for it.

Place the plant in bright light, but never in direct sun.  Keep it a few feet from windows, even across the room from a southern exposure.  It will do well in rooms brightly lit with artificial light.

Frosty fern doesn’t need a deep pot, the roots are shallow.  It spreads horizontally so a pot with some width is better than depth.  Use a rich organic soil, a sphagnum peat-based soil is ideal.  Fertilize once every other week spring through summer with a basic houseplant fertilizer. 

Water Frosty ferns so that they stay moist at all times, but the pot must drain well and not get waterlogged.  Be careful not to overwater in terrariums. Browning, crispy leaves can be a sign of low humidity or improper watering.

You can propagate Frosty fern by cutting off stem tips and rooting them in damp potting medium.  They root easily.

Snails and slugs will eat Frosty fern if they are put outside but they have few other pests.  Cool temperatures favor fungal disease but that is rare indoors unless the plants are being misted.  If you do put them outside in summer after danger of frost has passed make sure they are in the shade and don’t forget to water them if it’s dry.

If you like challenging plants that are unusual, the frosty fern may be right for you.