Want to have a houseplant which is easy to care for and affordable to beautify your house and give a fresh look around the room? You should consider having this lemon button fern. This houseplant can be planted indoors using a pot and then you put it beside the window, in the bathroom or the kitchen. Or if you decide to plant it outdoors, you can put it under the big tree for a shady location that this plant will love.
This one can be your best option since it requires a shady location, therefore you don’t need much space in the yard to place this one. Beautifying your house by filling the plant in the pots will be a good idea too!
What Is Lemon Button Fern
People know it as lemon button fern or Nephrolepis cordifolia. It is a small variety of Boston fern, but it is very different from Boston fern. The plant lovers put this lemon button fern into their favorite list since they can plant it indoors and outdoors. Also, the small size of this plant makes it suitable to beautify the house.
This plant is native to Asia, especially in tropical or subtropical areas where there are forests in those countries. Therefore, this plant never experiences the freeze or an extreme heat temperature. As we mentioned before that this plant can be found easily in tropical forests, then it belongs to tropical plants. Usually, they grow under the thick canopy of the forest.
Therefore, medium shade with dappled sunlight is the light exposure and intensity that they usually receive. Since they already adapt with forest, you also have to create an environment that is mimicking its native habitat.
Taking care of lemon button care might be simple, if you know the tips and what this plant needs. From the light intensity, temperature until the propagation step, you have to consider and pay attention. So, this lemon button fern can grow happily in your house.
1) Light Intensity
For light intensity, a shady location will be ideal for growing lemon button fern. Since this plant only needs 4 hours of indirect light every day, then you don’t have to place this cute plant in the open backyard. As long as the light is bright, it is enough for lemon button fern. Because direct sunlight will burn the leaves.
2) Temperature and Humidity Requirement
The optimum temperature for growing lemon button fern is around 60 – 80’ F. If your house is warm and a bit humid, lemon button care will be happy to grow. If you think that the air around your house is too dry, you can try placing a lemon button fern near a small humidifier or in a room with high-humidity. For instance, you can put it in the bathroom or kitchen.
The key is there is some moisture in the air for the lemon button fern. Because lemon button fern likes to have 70% or higher atmospheric humidity. So, this is the reason that the bathroom becomes the favorite spot for this plant to grow.
3) Watering and Drainage
Watering lemon button fern can be done after you check the soil. If the soil dries out for around two inches, then you can water it. This plant can be watered at least once a week because it cannot thrive the soil which is fully dry out.
By watering the plant once a week, it will keep the soil moist but not let the water too wet because it can lead to root rot. One tip: Always use drinking water for better growing results since tap water contains chlorine and it doesn’t go well for the ferns.
4) Soil Conditions
When it is time to plant lemon button fern, then you have to prepare the soil. This plant likes rich, moist yet slightly acidic soil as the medium to grow this one. If this type of soil is hard to find, you can buy small pots first. So the first time you plant a lemon button fern is inside the small pots and put it beside the window. The ideal soil based on what lemon button fern needs.
5) Fertilizing
You can have fertilizer but consider having a balanced fertilizer. Generally ferns are light feeders, including lemon button fern. Therefore, you can consider applying fertilizer diluted for the ferns every few months during the growing season, in order to give half strength for the ferns. By adding equal parts of perlite and peat moss, it is the efficient way to grow lemon button fern into an optimum size and beautiful appearance.
6) Propagation
Propagating the lemon button ferns is pretty easy since lemon button ferns grow from rhizomes. It needs a few simple steps if you want to do it. The first one, you have to remove the entire lemon button fern from the pots gently. Then identify the parts of the fern that you want to divide off from the main clump.
By using your hands, gently tease apart the roots between the new section and the old one. After all is separated to the roots, you can plant the divided part into different containers and use the same type of soil.
Lemon Button Fern Care Tips
Confused about placing lemon button fern outdoors or indoors? Check out this easy tip for you to have a lemon button fern that can grow well. You better take note of these quick tips!
1) Indoor Lemon Button Fern Care Tips
Deciding to plant lemon button fern indoors will be a great one and suitable for a narrow yard. Because you can put it in the pots and place the pots based on your favorite place. Here are the simple tips to take care your plant indoors:
- Make sure the air is not too dry. The humidity should be 70% or higher in the room. Therefore, placing this plant near the humidifier will increase 50-60% higher and will make the lemon button fern grow optimally.
- You can plant it using a pot, and water it once a week. But never let the pots over-watered.
- If there are brown leaves, you can cut it carefully, and make sure the placement for this plant is already based on their needs. Never place it directly to the sun even if it is on the side of windows.
2) Outdoor Lemon Button Fern Care Tips
Mimicking the real habitat of lemon button ferns is a key to let them grow beautifully. Therefore, you have to understand about the spots that are ideal for this plant. Check out the tips here.
- Place the plant under the big tree, just like their habits in the tropical or subtropical forest.
- For propagating, always use your hands to tease apart and divide it gently before planting it again in different pots or containers.
- Always watch out for the soil since the soggy or too wet soil around the plant will cause the root rots.
- When the summer striker or the temperature is cooler, it is better to move the pots to the porch.
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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Are lemon button ferns easy to care for?
Yes, this plant is easy to care for and also affordable as the houseplant. The scent is slightly lemony, therefore it is fresh to smell, especially during growing months. You can have it as the room decoration including the air fresher in your room as well. This plant is very versatile!
Should I mist my lemon button fern?
It is not actually necessary to mist lemon button fern. As long as you already water them and the soil is always moist, it is all good for the plant. But if you want to make the lemon button fern look fresh, you can mist it a bit once a week.
Why is my lemon button fern turning brown?
It is because your lemon button fern doesn’t receive enough water and humidity. Therefore, you have to pay more attention to the water supply for the soil and the humidity around the place where you plant this houseplant. Placing it near the humidifier can help the lemon button fern perform well.
Can you put button ferns outside?
Yes, you can put button ferns outside, especially in spring. But, you have to consider placing it under the big tree, so that there is no direct sunlight coming to this houseplant. The big tree also gives enough water and humidity for this plant. Just make sure the soil is not wet or waterlogged.
How big can lemon button ferns get?
This house plant can grow no larger than 1 foot or 31 cm tall. Therefore, it is suitable for your porch or indoors houseplant. You can put it in your living room, kitchen, or even the bathroom to freshen the atmosphere. For you who loves the small or mini houseplant, this can be yours.
