Blue Star Fern

Blue Star Fern (Phlebodium aureum)

Blue Star Fern, also known as Golden Polypody and Cabbage Fern, is an epiphytic fern prized for its silvery blue-green, lobed fronds and creeping golden rhizomes; it brings soft, modern texture to interiors and shaded outdoor nooks with a relaxed, arching habit.

Distinctive Features

Broad, irregularly lobed fronds carry a cool blue cast that reads sculptural in low to medium light, while fuzzy, golden-brown surface rhizomes add an eye-catching, footed accent at the soil line.

Growing Conditions

• Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light indoors or open shade outdoors; protect from direct sun that can fade the blue tone.
• Soil: Loose, well-drained, high-organic mix with bark or perlite to mimic epiphytic conditions.
• Water: Keep evenly moist but not soggy; allow the top 0.5 inch to dry slightly between waterings.
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 9 to 11 outdoors; grow as a houseplant in cooler regions.
• Humidity: Medium to high; group plants or use a tray or humidifier in dry rooms.
• Mature Size: Typically 1 to 2 ft tall and wide in containers.
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic, about 5.5 to 6.5.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Blue-toned fronds and exposed rhizomes create a distinctive display on shelves, pedestals, or in hanging planters.
• Bathroom or kitchen greenery that appreciates ambient humidity.
• Terrariums or cloches where steady moisture supports compact growth.
• Shaded patio containers and tropical underplanting in frost-free climates.

Low Maintenance Care

• Watering: Water when the surface is just dry to the touch; reduce slightly in winter or low light.
• Pruning: Remove yellowed or tattered fronds at the base to refresh the plant.
• Fertilizing: Feed lightly at half strength every 4 to 6 weeks in spring and summer.
• Mulching: Top-dress with fine bark or leaf mold to conserve moisture and enrich the mix.
• Notes: Keep rhizomes slightly exposed, avoid waterlogged pots, and rinse foliage periodically to deter mites and scale.

Why Choose Blue Star Fern?

• Cool-Toned Foliage: Silvery blue color reads crisp and modern in neutral interiors.
• Forgiving epiphyte that tolerates typical household conditions.
• Textural interest from exposed, golden rhizomes.
• Year-round greenery with a tidy, arching habit.

Use Blue Star Fern to add soothing, blue-green texture and easy-care elegance in bright, indirect light.