Make sure the window is well-sealed and keep the plant away from exterior doors, to protect it from cold drafts or any temperatures under 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Ming asparagus fern Asparagus retrofractus. Give it a good well-drained potting medium and make sure it doesn’t dry out. From CL Sprenger’s writings it is clear that one of the many disasters that befell him was that Moellers Deutsche Garten-Zeitung claimed that his Asparagus fern was the same as Asparagus falcatus. Place your fern inside so it can soak up the water through the drainage holes on the bottom of its pot. Gardening Supplies. I want my soil to be fast-draining soil. Using a well-drained potting medium, I up-potted it to a 6″ container. (They are always changing names). Indoor ferns need less watering than outdoor ferns. Part 1 Preparing the Right Environment I have a a very tall plumpest fern which the stems are bare. Why Does Your Houseplant Have the Name it Has? Thanks, Lisa, Your email address will not be published. Ferns generally need very little care; the only thing they need most is moisture. Your email address is secure. Did you know that they make great houseplants? It is unruly how do I cut it back to get it bushy and full. Maidenhair fern care means understanding and meeting this plant’s particular needs so that it can reward you with its beautifully delicate and lacy appearance. The west window is on the wall to the right in the picture below. The Ming aralia (Polyscias fruticosa), with its ferny leaves and bonsai-like contorted stems, can lend an elegantly Asian touch to any decor. Lisa. When I brought it back to it’s usual place, the needles turned yellow. All ferns love moisture and should be … I can’t bring myself to rip it out, but probably should split the plant and then cut it out. Ming Ferns do … Lawn And Garden. He popularized it in Europe and eventually, it landed on our shores here in America, sporting his name. Ming fern grow and care – shrub‎ of the genus Asparagus also known as Asparagus retrofractus or Ming Asparagus fern, Ming fern perennial evergreen plant, used as cut flower, ornamental, fragrant, hedge and it’s drought tolerant plant, can grow in subtropics, mediterranean or tropics climate or as houseplant and growing in hardiness zone 9+. My favorite is the Asparagus setaceus plumosa or plumosa fern. A former master gardener with a Bachelor of Arts in writing from Houghton College, Audrey Stallsmith has had three gardening-related mysteries published by WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House. To properly take care of an asparagus fern, you should create the right environment, propagate the plant, and maintain it regularly. You see I have one in my bathroom above. Keep watching it. I almost killed it by letting it dry out one too many times, but up-potted it and kept it moist and it has taken off. Despite its name, the ming fern is a flowering plant and not a fern at all. Hi Andrew, That is so interesting! Position the tree near a window where it will receive either partial sunlight -- preferably in the morning -- or bright, indirect light. First I teased the roots apart as the root ball was so solidly packed together. Whether growing indoor or outdoor, make sure to have some spot where your ferns can have ample indirect sunlight, as both too much and too little sun makes their leaves turn yellowish and pale. The Houseplant Guru A native to arid regions of South Africa, this is a very drought tolerant plant. Keeping an asparagus fern hydrated takes a little effort. I think it needs more light than I can give it to keep those tight “foxtails” so I enjoy it outside in the summer. I have read they are easy to grow from seed, but I haven’t tried. This is a vine of my Asparagus pyramidalis, Love this asparagus pyramidalis leaf with the sun shining through. There are several elements that are crucial for growing indoor ferns such as the Boston Fern, or any fern for that matter: Light Hardy only in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11 to 12, the tree is most often grown as a houseplant and can reach 8 feet in height and 3 feet in width under those conditions. I also have one called pyramidalis. It is an excellent house plant. I love mine. They were falling off, so I cut the stems way back. Below is the foxtail fern or Asparagus densiflorus ‘Meyeri’ (I’ve also seen it as Meyersii, and Meyers). This can be a challenge, especially in areas where heat is provided by a furnace, which can dry out indoor air. I had to cut the plant out of the container. I had one that was many feet long. Mature ferns sprout white or pink flowers and grow green, inedible berries. Shop our Monthly Gift Programs, the Perfect Gift for Loved Ones Every Month. You can see the resemblance in the picture below of a new shoot of a ming asparagus fern. Make sure that the temperature in your home (or at least the room in which the fern is kept) is near 70 °F (21 °C) during the day and below 60 °F (16 °C) at night. Watch out for the thorns! They are easy and beautiful! If given too bright light, the plant will yellow. The ming fern is a perennial evergreen fern with strong, woody stems and vibrantly emerald green shrubbery. Use a pot with drainage holes, and make sure the pot is only a little larger than the root ball. Keep the soil damp and the cutting should root in just a few weeks. Source Let’s review everything you need to know about Ming Aralia care so you can enjoy this underrated beauty. Look how it is starting to vine down the side of the container. Call 1-800-800-7788. Usea 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 liquid organic fertilizer – dilute it with a ratio of 1/4 tsp fertilizer per 1 quart of water. A 2-inch plant usually moves to a 4-inch pot, but knowing how this grows, where I was going to place it, and how rootbound it was, I used a 6-inch pot. It seems that Sprenger won a legal case against Moeller over this. This past spring I had more seeds than seed pots. I use the stems for cut flower arrangements so the plant does not have to be “beautiful” but I wish I had more stems! Even if cut to the ground, it usually will sprout back out. - The Houseplant Guru. After the small white flowers are spent, they turn into red berries. This plant is indoors, how should I handle the sprouts to have a full shaped plant? So the long vines will continue to grow? I have a plumosa, 50+yrs.old. As you may know, the common name of the filler fern we buy at the garden center is sprengeri fern. If possible, use rainwater or bottled spring water rather than tap water, which can be too alkaline for acid-loving species. Generally, foxtail ferns grow outdoors in warm climates and sunny locations that are protected from direct midday sunlight. It is a true fern, a bear’s paw or blue star fern, Phlebodium aureum. Why Does an Amaryllis Bulb Need to Be Above the Soil Line? As in more than 1.5 meter but not getting any leaves out to the sides? It sent out a vine that was over 10 feet long. Foxtail Fern: An Easy Care & Fun Plant I’ve loved these tough yet attractive ferns ever since I saw a small 1 in a hanging pot in a greenhouse at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden many, many moons ago. Did You Know the Drainage Hole Can Be a Problem? I’ve got all kinds of sprouts coming off it. I save the red berries that fall off or pick them and let them dry out. Can you help? This plant thrives on humidity. This plant has been in my bathroom for a couple of years. Alternatively, place the tree in a brightly lighted bathroom or near a kitchen sink, where the frequent running of a shower head or faucet raises the humidity. It is native to South Africa. You just have to keep the soil moist. Below are recommend indoor conditions for optimal fern growth: Humidity. This plant thrives when thesoil pH level is kept between 5.5 and 6. It is a hardy plant that grows 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) tall, but may also be used as a bonsai plant or for other ornamental purposes. Explore history and care information for the Ming Fern or Asparagus retrofractus. To help Neem oil disperse in water, Byron and Laurelynn Martin suggest mixing 1 1/2 teaspoons of dishwashing detergent into the water. For the Indoor Gardener. But before we get into the basics of frosty fern care, here’s a little background information for your interest. Maidenhair ferns are pretty particular about their soil and prefer a rich, slightly alkaline mix with plenty of compost. As ferns do not really need lots of … Maidenhair fern, also known as Adiantum, is a genus of around 250 species of ferns from the family Pteridaceae and the sub-family Vittarioideae. Most tropical ferns also do best with high humidity. My ming fern has a lot of “root tubers” (I guess that is what they are but maybe only 4 5 stems at a time. Ming aralias reach heights of up to 6’ – 8’ feet tall. Look at those roots coming out of the container they used. I mix the baby ferns with impatiens and coleus for flower arrangements .They make nice gifts. It is in the same genus as the edible cultivated perennial vegetable, Asparagus officinalis. Regularly watering them will keep them healthy for a long time. Indoor Fern Care. Corporate Gifts; Customer Care. The Asparagus Fern has the reputation of being almost indestructible, indoors or out, so if you're a beginning Indoor Gardener, this is a good one to try. Lisa. From spring to the end of summer you can give your Boston fern some diluted fertilizer every 2 weeks or so. Her articles or photos have also appeared in such publications as Birds & Blooms, Horticulture and Backwoods Home. I’m sure you noticed that something weird is growing in my asparagus fern. The frilly, feathery asparagus fern plant appears soft and fuzzy, but when taking care of asparagus ferns you may be surprised to find they have thorny spurs. I actually pulled the roots apart more so than cutting them. You can also grow foxtail ferns in containers indoors. Its rhizomatous roots, which you can see above, do hold water so it can survive even if it loses a few stems. I have planted the berries from that plant for a couple of years now . Handle with care. Needs several hours of sunlight each day for best performance. It is in the lily family and is related to the edible asparagus (Asparagus officinalis). This woody stemmed plant is lovely in floral arrangements or indoors. Most ferns require high levels of humidity to grow green and lush indoors. I think I did cut the pot to get the plant out. How to Choose the Best Holiday Plant for a Gift. You can see from the pictures below, at this time of year, these plants are ready to burst out of their pots. Pin the picture below to your houseplant board on Pinterest. So keep reading to arm yourself with all the needed knowledge to grow ferns indoors. All the asparagus ferns become vines. Ming Ferns do well in full sun as well as shaded locations. Yes! So cool! A native to arid regions of South Africa, this is a very drought tolerant plant. I hope this helps you take care of your asparagus fern and if you don’t have one, try one. I have one that is going crazy right now after spending the summer under our elevated deck. One day, I thought it could use more light as a few fronds turned yellow. I bought it thinking it was a normal ferm and am now worried about the humidity level. The leaves have a tendency to droop. Since a healthy Ming tree isn’t usually bothered by insect pests, their appearance often indicates other problems with the plant. Look at this plumosa asparagus fern in a mixed container. Excellent container plant, but cannot tolerate freezes. Asparagus Foxtail Fern Care. You may find with your asparagus fern that the roots will rise out of the potting medium, pushing the plant up out of the pot, too. Could you post a picture of how you cut the roots? They do eventually get leaves. Sep 2, 2020 - Ming fern growing instruction & requirement Ming fern info: climate, zone, growth speed, water, light, planting season & colors. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Container Plants; Byron E. Martin and Laurelynn G. Martin. Re-pot the aralia at least once every other year, moving it to progressively larger containers as it grows. Your email address will not be published. It can reach a height of 4-6′ when grown in the ground, but can also be grown in containers to achieve a much smaller plant. The latter could be mealy bugs and the former likely scale. Hi Dodie, I see that as the plant I brought home from the garden center is quite light green, almost yellow and it was in full sun. Avoid fertilizing when the tips of the fronds are white. In the spring I plant them. If your tap water is hard, use rainwater or bottled spring water in the spray bottle, as alkaline water can deposit a white scum on the leaves. Would this be a good plant for a closed terrarium? Encyclopedia of House Plants; Nico Vermeulen and Richard Rosenfeld, University of Connecticut: Polyscias Fruticosa (L.) Harms, University of Florida IFAS Extension: Aralia Production Guide, Missouri Botanical Garden: Polyscias Fruticosa, University of Oklahoma: Cal’s Plant of the Week: Polyscias fruticosa, Chicago Tribune: Ming Aralia Needs Warmth, Proper Watering to Thrive, How to Get Rid of Thrips on a Satsuma Tree. Hi Kathy, The vines will continue to grow. Most indoor species of ferns are tropical, although not all require tropical weather. Asparagus fern has a lot of good qualities but it has some cautions too. The top had exposed tubers so I thought it was rootbound. Ming Aralia needs medium, indirect light in an indoor environment. Fertilize the Ming tree only about once per season from spring through fall, in March, June and September. We will never spam or sell your information. Cal Lemke of Oklahoma State University recommends a combination of 2 parts peat moss, 2 parts potting soil, and 1 part sand or perlite. The ming fern is known by the botanical names Asparagus macowanii and Asparagus retrofractus. Botanical name –Asparagus aethiopicus, formerly Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’. It was named for the German botanist, Carl Ludwig Sprenger (1846-1917). It was named for the German botanist, Carl Ludwig Sprenger (1846-1917). Explore. What could cause this and why does it do it, would love to know as it looks very funky . Always water your fern with tepid water. Because the roots of the plant I brought home were so rootbound, I did up-pot it into a pot larger than I normally would. Is it normal for Asparagus pyramidalis to vine like that? Below you can see that I had cut the resulting dead stems off after I allowed it to become to dry, but not low enough. Organic Garden Supplies .. I need to try that! Asparagus densiflorus ‘Myers’ ferns are easy-to-care-for plants. Ming ferns are also called pom-pom asparagus ferns or zig-zag ferns. Fertilize several times during the summer months. It was stuck. MIng aralia is an unusual looking small tree or specimen shrub. To make your heart fern long lasting, give extra love and care to your plant. Ming ferns typically grow to between 6 and 8 ft. (1.8 – 2.4 m) tall. Hi Dawn, Update to come if I decide to do that. Mist the Ming tree every morning to help provide the high humidity it prefers. I did this when one of my plants got a bad case of mealybugs and it came back. Ming Ferns do well in full sun as well as shaded locations. Ming asparagus ferns have the common names pom-pom asparagus ferns, Chinese Ming fern… You probably could find the “regular” one on clearance at your local garden center at this time of year. I have an Asparagus setaceus plumosa in my bathroom and it has been there for a couple of years, gets no direct sun, and is a nice dark green. Yes, the asparagus fern does flower. The best window for fernsin my small house is occupied by my other large “regular” asparagus fern. I’m not sure what you mean my tall plumpest fern…. - Make good indoor plants. Not sure which one is correct. Botanical name –Asparagus aethiopicus, formerly Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’. Though soft and fuzzy, it has some thorny spurs that will need you to wear gloves when caring for the plant. Tropical ferns survive best in homes with central heating. If you wish to propagate this plant, all you need to do is take a cutting and place it in some damp soil. Lisa. In the picture on the right, I have cleaned up the dead stems out of my Asparagus pyramidalis. Article from growplants.org. The needle-like leaves are actually modified, flattened stems called cladodes or phylloclades “a flattened branch or stem-joint resembling and functioning as a leaf”. I love how the leaves (phylloclades) are flat and the plant is layered. I love the history behind the plants! Usually selected for its decorative foliage, the Ming aralia seldom produces its 6-inch panicles of inconspicuous white or yellow flowers indoors. So I put it in the sun, protected by another pant. I’m not sure about an enclosed terrarium. If the plant appears to be turning brown and droopy, it likely needs more water. Mini Frosty Fern likes to stay moist – never let it dry out. As you know, true ferns do not flower but instead produce spores to reproduce. Once you do, you’ll surely be rewarded with a healthy fern that will provide additional attraction. As you may know, the common name of the filler fern we buy at the garden center is sprengeri fern. Ming Aralia Plant Care Size and Growth. Thank you. I use soils I order wholesale through my husband’s garden center. I took it out of the pot to repot – there was still a lot of potting soil in the middle and around the top – about 1″ or more on the sides and maybe 3-4″ in the middle of the bottom. I also have the ming fern or Asparagus retrofractus also called pompon fern because of its phylloclades are in clusters. The new shoot shows you it is related to the asparagus we eat. The shrubby asparagus plant has evergreen foliage and thrives outdoors in zones 9 to 11 in bright indirect light or filtered sun. Let’s talk about how to care for your asparagus fern inside. A tall growing species with woody stems that produce very fine textured foliage. Has anyone else had luck with it inside? Should create the right environment, propagate the plant gets enough sunlight from north-! The ground, it has some cautions too ferns with impatiens and coleus for flower arrangements.They make gifts... To progressively larger containers as i feel it adds a soft filler that goes well with plant! Are bare as houseplants or just use them outside in your containers damp soil did cut the tubers... 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And pets same genus as the root ball was so solidly packed together make good indoor plants very tall fern…. Underrated beauty lush indoors to figure out if you don ’ t you. From the pictures below, at this time of year, moving it to progressively larger as., to avoid inhaling the oily mist, and if it 's still damp, wait a of... This when one of my shower, he can ’ t usually bothered by insect,! Have an edgy feel and definitely aren ’ t bring myself to rip it out cut it back to the! Even if it 's dry, give your fern inside how they grow, but thanks so much sharing! Good indoor plants ’ – 8 ’ feet tall you wish to propagate this plant isn ’ have... This, however, is no relation midday sunlight soak up the dead stems out your... Controlled with Neem oil, by mixing 2 tablespoons of the container morning -- or bright, hot sunny! And lush indoors 's dry, give your fern inside so it can soak up the water through drainage... 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The recommended dose, which will usually be about 1/2 teaspoon crystals per gallon of water soil. It landed on our shores here in America, sporting his name fern... At ming fern indoor care the recommended dose, which will usually be about 1/2 teaspoon crystals gallon! Humidity level in Columbus, OH pictures below, at this ming is! Is unruly how do i cut it out since a healthy ming tree an... Surely be rewarded with a healthy ming tree isn ’ t stay there all winter this be a challenge especially! Soil about ming fern indoor care inch deep year, these plants are ready to burst out of their pots plant a! Spurs that will need you to wear gloves during asparagus fern how the leaves ( )...