The "Boston Fern" is really the house plant that started it all. It was a popular house plant in the 19th century Victorian era. When the true beginnings of the the house plant business got underway back in about 1914 the Boston was there.

One of the things making the Nephrolepis variety of ferns so unique is they always seem to be mutating (in a good way). Therefore always providing "new" varieties. You can find plants with fronds ranging in length from 2 feet to 5 feet. The "Kimberly Queen" (Nephrolepis obliterata) is a bushy popular variety used on the patio or covered deck during the spring and summer, but can also be used as a houseplant.

Boston ferns are known to handle considerable neglect. If you follow some basic care rules to enjoy a relatively probelm free plant.

Where Does It All Start?

Boston fern like most house plants want consistency. To avoid problems maintain proper care by providing an even moisture level and staying away from the extremes - too wet or too dry.

Don't Allow the Pot to Sit in a Saucer of Water

During the winter (or anytime really) remember that ferns aren't fond of dry heat, try to keep the humidity up around them. Try to keep the temperature in the range of 65-72 degrees.

If you've ever gone to buy a Boston fern one of the things you may notice is the large amount of dead leaves or fronds that fall off when you pick them up. This is from the new leaves that cover or shade out the older leaves. Without the light the bottom foliage turns brown.

Boston ferns have the usual house plant bugs and indoor pest. Mealybugs, scale, spider mites and others. Some of these "problems" can be passed on from other infested plants. Most of these pest can de handled naturally by just monitoring your plants and looking for anything out of the usual.

The Sword Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) is a species of fern in the family Lomariopsidaceae (sometimes treated in the families Davalliaceae or Oleandraceae, or in its own family, Nephrolepidaceae), native to tropical regions throughout the world. It is common in humid forests and swamps, especially in northern South America, Mexico, Central America, Florida, the West Indies, Polynesia and Africa. Also known as the Wild Boston fern, Tuber ladder fern or Fishbone fern is in the broader family of sword fern.

The fronds are 50-250 cm long and 6-15 cm broad, with alternate pinnae (the small "leaflets" on either side of the midrib), each pinna being 2-8 cm long. The pinnae are generally deltoid, as seen in the picture to the right. The pinnate vein pattern is also visible on these highly compound leaves. The edges appear slightly serrate. The species has erect fronds, but Nephrolepis exaltata cv. Bostoniensis (Boston Fern), the most commonly cultivated cultivar, has gracefully arching fronds. This mutation was discovered in a shipment of N. exaltata to Boston from Philadelphia in 1894.

Cultivation and uses

The Boston fern is a very popular house plant, often grown in hanging baskets or similar conditions. It is a perennial plant hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 9-11. Although the fern may appear totally dead due to frost, it will re-emerge in the spring. In general, the Boston fern likes damp, but not soggy soil that is rich in nutrients. Of the common cultivated ferns, the Boston fern is the most tolerant to drought. The fern thrives best in humid conditions, so when grown as a house plant it becomes necessary to mist the plant when relative humidity falls below around 80%. Although outdoors this plant prefers partial shade or full shade, inside it grows best in bright filtered light. This plant is usually propagated by division of the rooted runners, as named cultivars will not produce true spores.

Boston fern is native to Florida, the West Indies, and Asian Pacific. A related species, the Tuberous Sword fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia), is frequently confused with Boston fern and is a serious exotic invasive plant, forming dense monocultures.