8” STAGHORN FERN ARE EPIPHYTES GROWS NATURALLY IN HUMID, TROPICAL ENVIRONMENTS, OFTEN ATTACHING ITSELF TO TREES IN VARIOUS FOREST SETTINGS, BUT MAKE WONDERFUL HOUSEPLANTS. ITS LEAVES ARE CHARACTERIZED BY A PAIR OF FLAT, ANTLER-LIKE FRONDS THAT RISE UPWARD, WHILE THE LOWER FRONDS FORM A CUP-SHAPED STRUCTURE THAT COLLECTS WATER AND DEBRIS. STAGHORN FERNS ARE POPULAR IN HOUSEPLANT CULTURE DUE TO THEIR STRIKING APPEARANCE AND RELATIVELY LOW MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS.

THEY PREFER INDIRECT LIGHT AND HIGH HUMIDITY, MAKING THEM IDEAL FOR BATHROOMS OR OTHER MOIST ENVIRONMENTS. REGULAR MISTING AND OCCASIONAL APPLICATION OF FERTILIZER CAN PROMOTE HEALTHY GROWTH. THEIR ARCHITECTURAL SHAPE AND TEXTURE MAKE THEM A TOP CHOICE FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS. ALSO AVAILABLE IN 4” SIZE. THE STAGHORN FERN IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR KOKEDAMA:

KOKEDAMA, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS "MOSS BALL," IS A UNIQUE STYLE OF JAPANESE PLANT PRESENTATION THAT EMPHASIZES THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF PLANTS IN A MINIMALIST FORMAT. THE TECHNIQUE INVOLVES WRAPPING THE ROOTS OF A PLANT IN A BALL OF SOIL, WHICH IS THEN ENCASED IN A LAYER OF MOSS. THIS SPHERICAL ARRANGEMENT NOT ONLY SHOWCASES THE PLANT BUT ALSO ALLOWS IT TO BE DISPLAYED IN VARIOUS WAYS, SUCH AS HANGING OR SITTING ON A SURFACE.

THE PROCESS OF CREATING A KOKEDAMA INVOLVES SEVERAL STEPS. FIRST, THE SOIL IS MIXED WITH INGREDIENTS LIKE CLAY AND PEAT MOSS TO ENSURE PROPER MOISTURE RETENTION. THE ROOTS OF A CHOSEN PLANT ARE THEN CAREFULLY WRAPPED IN THIS SOIL MIXTURE, FORMING A COMPACT BALL. NEXT, THIS BALL IS COVERED WITH MOSS, WHICH ADDS AN AESTHETICALLY PLEASING GREEN LAYER WHILE HELPING TO RETAIN MOISTURE. THESE “MOSS BALLS” CAN BE PLACED IN A BOWL OR MOUNTED AND HUNG UP ON THE WALL.