Platycerium
Platycerium hillii
green staghorn fern
- Latin
- Platycerium hillii
- Chinese
- 深綠鹿角蕨
- Japanese
- ヒリー
- English
- green staghorn fern
Platycerium hillii, the green staghorn fern, is a compact, clumping species from the wet tropics of northeastern Queensland. Its rounded, entire-edged shield fronds and wedge-shaped, dark green, nearly hairless fertile fronds that stand upright and fork only near the tips separate it from P. bifurcatum. It pups freely, and selections such as 'Rimklong' and 'Dragon' are collector favourites.
Care notes
Native habitat
Platycerium hillii is an epiphyte of the wet tropics of northeastern Queensland, recorded from Iron Range south to Cape Hillsborough; some references extend it into New Guinea. It grows on trunks in warm, rainy forest and builds clumps through pups. Unlike P. bifurcatum it does not reach the cooler south, and its care reflects that.
Light
Medium to bright filtered light, four to six hours a day. Too little and the fertile fronds stretch, thin out and pale; direct midday sun yellows them. A bright east window or 50% shade cloth outdoors.
Water and humidity
Soak when the medium is nearly dry; 50–70% humidity. This staghorn fern handles heat and drought less well together than bifurcatum does, and the frond tips are the first to burn when it goes dry in summer. Lengthen the interval in winter but never dry it out completely.
Medium and mounting
Temperature and seasons (temperate, indoor)
Ideal range 18–30 °C; heat stress starts above 33 °C. Less hardy than bifurcatum: published minimums range from 5 °C to 12 °C, so treat 10 °C as a safe floor and grow it indoors through a temperate winter, away from cold glass, with reduced watering and a fan.
Common problems
- Looks like bifurcatum: see below.
- Scorched frond tips: drought or heat.
- Shields brown quickly: normal. Hillii shields are thin and age fast.
- Scale: hides at the base of the fertile fronds and under the shield rim.
Collector notes
Hillii vs bifurcatum. Three checks. Shields: hillii's are rounded to kidney-shaped with an entire or slightly wavy upper edge and brown off quickly; bifurcatum's are lobed at the top. Fertile fronds: hillii's are wedge-shaped, dark green, almost hairless and held upright, with the forking confined to the outer third; bifurcatum's are grey-green, hairier, fork further down the frond and droop more. Sori: on hillii they cover most of the underside of the terminal segments, often to the tip; on bifurcatum they sit at the segment ends. Sources disagree on how deeply each forks, so trust colour and overall texture first.
Cultivars. 'Rimklong' is reported by Thai nurseries to originate from RongFern: very dark, thick-textured fronds and a stable, compact habit, and the hillii selection collectors most often search by name. 'Dragon' shows scaled, dragon-skin veining and clawed tips; crested and dwarf forms also circulate. These are trade names, not registered cultivars, and whether every one is pure hillii is still debated.
FAQ
How do I tell Platycerium hillii from P. bifurcatum?
Three checks. Shields: hillii's are rounded with an entire edge, bifurcatum's are lobed at the top. Fertile fronds: hillii's are wedge-shaped, dark green, nearly hairless, upright and fork only near the tips; bifurcatum's are grey-green, hairier, more deeply forked and droop. Sori: hillii's cover most of the terminal segment underside, bifurcatum's sit at the ends.
What is Platycerium hillii 'Rimklong'?
'Rimklong' is a hillii selection reported by Thai nurseries to come from RongFern. It is prized for very dark, thick-textured fronds and a stable, compact habit, and further selections have been made from it. It is a trade name rather than a registered cultivar, and its care is the same as the species.
Does Platycerium hillii produce pups?
Yes, readily. It is a clumping, multi-crown species that grows in colonies in the wild. Pups can be separated once they carry two or three fronds, or left to build a clump. After division keep the pup humid and shaded for two to three months while its roots establish.
How cold can Platycerium hillii tolerate?
Less than bifurcatum. Published minimums range from 5 °C to 12 °C, so use 10 °C as a practical floor. In temperate climates grow it indoors year-round, keep it off cold windowsills, water less in winter and keep the air moving. Cold and wet together cause the damage.
Is Platycerium hillii good for beginners?
Yes. It is tough, pups freely and stays more compact than bifurcatum, which suits indoor shelves and balconies. Two cautions beyond bifurcatum care: do not let it run hot and dry in summer, and do not let it sit cold and wet in winter. Selections like 'Rimklong' and 'Dragon' are the step up for collectors.