FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hello all, and happy holidays!

So I received a little staghorn for Christmas, its roots wrapped in a moss ball and all that, so I was just wondering how I would go about caring for it. I've done some research online but would like to hear from some of you directly since online articles can be inaccurate at times. I already have it outdoors with my orchids and Nepenthes, where it'll hopefully do well.

I've heard their roots rot easily, so will the moss ball cause it harm?

Thanks!

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I would treat it like any other house plant. I have a couple and I kind of "neglect" them(works for me, might not work for you). They're like air plants (if you know what those are), They absorb water through their leaves (and through their roots, I think? Unlike air plants). I would soak it in water once a week for 30 minutes then hang it back up. If it is with your orchids, it should do well. It will produce shield fronds, which will turn brown and papery eventually, those leaves are not dead. They still absorb water even though they're brown. I would also maybe mist the fronds a couple of times inbetween waterings.

Can you post a picture of it?

As for the root rot... I dont think their roots rot very easily, but as long as you let the moss ball dry out between waterings, it should be fine. Normally they are mounted on wood boards, with the roots wrapped in Sphag Moss, so root rot doesnt seem to be an issue as long as you're not keeping the roots soaking wet 24/7.

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I can also show you what mine look like and what I grow them in when I get home from the trip I am on.

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DeadlyCarnivore wrote:I would treat it like any other house plant. I have a couple and I kind of "neglect" them(works for me, might not work for you). They're like air plants (if you know what those are), They absorb water through their leaves (and through their roots, I think? Unlike air plants). I would soak it in water once a week for 30 minutes then hang it back up. If it is with your orchids, it should do well. It will produce shield fronds, which will turn brown and papery eventually, those leaves are not dead. They still absorb water even though they're brown. I would also maybe mist the fronds a couple of times inbetween waterings.

Can you post a picture of it?

As for the root rot... I dont think their roots rot very easily, but as long as you let the moss ball dry out between waterings, it should be fine. Normally they are mounted on wood boards, with the roots wrapped in Sphag Moss, so root rot doesnt seem to be an issue as long as you're not keeping the roots soaking wet 24/7.

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Okay, awesome! Thanks! I do have an airplant that I also grow outside which does pretty well without my input, so hopefully it does just as well.

And I'd love to see your staghorns when you have time!

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I'm house sitting for the week, so I might be a couple of days, but I'l take some pics and show ya!

What does yours look like? Do you know if its the common species (Platycerium Bifuractum) or another species of Platycerium?

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Sorry to keep you waiting!

I have Platycerium Bifuractum, Veitchii, and Superbum. Hopefully they show up in that order. If not, Bifuractum is the blurry pic one, Veitchii is the outdoor photo, and Superbum is the big shield frond one.
I let them do their own thing. My bifuractum makes small shield fronds, and they usually turn brown quickly, the fronds still absorb water. I need to divide my Veitchii soon, there are probably 6 plants in it. That one currently has a shield frond growing from one of the plants. I just got my Superbum in the mail, looks healthy, I'm probably gonna let it do its thing and mist it a couple times a week until it gets going again.

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