Platycerium
Platycerium ellisii
Ellis's staghorn fern
- Latin
- Platycerium ellisii
- Chinese
- 愛麗絲鹿角蕨
- Japanese
- エリシー
- English
- Ellis's staghorn fern
Platycerium ellisii is a compact staghorn fern from the humid lowland forests of eastern Madagascar. Its rounded, glossy shield fronds leave a gap between old and new layers, and the upright, wedge-shaped fertile fronds split only once at the tip. That single fork separates it from P. alcicorne. It pups, and most plants in trade are tissue-cultured.
Care notes
Native habitat
Platycerium ellisii is an epiphyte of the warm, humid lowland forests of eastern Madagascar, in the same African-Madagascan group as P. madagascariense and P. alcicorne. Some references extend it to coastal wetlands and even mangrove margins; that is not settled. The home climate is warm and wet all year, so this staghorn fern dislikes cold and dry air but copes with summer heat better than P. andinum.
Light
Shade to bright filtered light. The fertile fronds are thin and can scorch after an hour of direct sun. A brighter spot is fine in winter.
Water and humidity
Keep it evenly moist, never dry and never waterlogged. Water when the surface of the moss dries, roughly every 3–5 days in summer. Humidity of 60–80% with moving air is the single most important factor; in dry rooms the fertile fronds brown at the edges and the shield stops renewing. It suits a terrarium or cabinet.
Medium and mounting
Temperature and seasons (temperate, indoor)
Ideal 18–30 °C. It has essentially no cold tolerance; below 12 °C the roots rot in wet moss. In a temperate home it is an indoor plant all year, kept away from draughts and watered less in winter. It will keep growing through summer as long as humidity and airflow hold.
Common problems
- Brown edges on fertile fronds: low humidity or direct sun.
- A gap between layers of shield fronds: normal, it is a feature of the species, not damage.
- No growth in winter: cold, normal.
- Bought as ellisii, looks like alcicorne: see below.
Collector notes
Ellisii vs alcicorne. Both have rounded, glossy shields and juveniles are hard to separate. Look at the fertile fronds: P. ellisii holds them upright, broad and wedge-shaped, splitting only once at the tip; P. alcicorne forks two or three times into narrower segments. Then look between shield layers: ellisii leaves a gap, alcicorne lies flat.
Mother-plant expression. Width and stance of the fertile fronds, symmetry of the terminal notch, and the waxy shine on the shields.
FAQ
How do I tell Platycerium ellisii from P. alcicorne?
Look at the fertile fronds. Ellisii holds them upright, broad and wedge-shaped, splitting only once at the tip; alcicorne forks two or three times into narrower segments. Then check the shields: ellisii leaves a gap between layers, alcicorne lies flat. Both have rounded glossy shields, so juveniles are near-identical.
Is Platycerium ellisii easy to grow?
Easier than *P. andinum* or *P. quadridichotomum*, on one condition: humidity. Give it 60–80% with moving air and it grows steadily, even through hot summers. In dry, air-conditioned rooms it browns and stalls. It has no cold tolerance, so keep it above 12 °C. Whether it is a beginner plant depends entirely on whether you can supply the humidity.
Why is there a gap between the shield fronds on my Platycerium ellisii?
That is normal. Ellisii leaves a space between old and new shield layers, a trait unique to the species; its function is not settled, though airflow or drainage is the usual guess. Leave it alone and do not pack moss into it. The gap is actually one of the clues that separate ellisii from alcicorne.
Does Platycerium ellisii pup, and are the plants for sale tissue-cultured?
Yes, it pups and sends out runners, so it can be grown as a clump or divided. Most plants in trade, in Taiwan and elsewhere, are tissue-cultured and uniform. Sporelings and divided pups are less common and show individual variation. Both are legitimate; just ask the seller how the plant was propagated and what the mother plant looks like.
How cold can Platycerium ellisii tolerate?
Keep it above 12 °C, ideally 15 °C or more. It has almost no cold tolerance, and cold plus wet moss rots the roots quickly. In winter bring it indoors, keep it out of draughts and water less, but do not let it dry out completely. Sporelings and freshly mounted plants stay indoors all season.