maidenhair fern issues - Ask Extension
Hello,
Can someone there help me resolve a problem I am having with BOTH of my maidenhair ferns? The leaves are turning white on both. This has been ...
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maidenhair fern issues #817342
Asked December 07, 2022, 8:08 PM EST
Hello,
Can someone there help me resolve a problem I am having with BOTH of my maidenhair ferns? The leaves are turning white on both. This has been happening with the smaller one for a couple months, and now the large one is doing it as well. I keep them moist though I suspect they are not getting enough light. It is very frustrating. I have had the larger one for several years; it thrives in late Spring and summer then I basically have to cut the whole thing down over the winter and start fresh in Spring.
I would like to avoid doing that if possible. Any help would be greatly appreciated. This is a daily occurrence by the way. I take off the white ones daily and a whole new batch shows up the next day.
Thanks!
Yolanda Wysocki
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for your question and patience, Yolanda. The primary causes of pale to white leaves in ferns is either a misapplication of fertilizer, or low light. You don't indicate whether you provide a source of additional humidity for your fern, and, because our homes tend to have very low humidity in the winter, the plant reacts this way. Since they are tropical in nature, they are used to 50% relative humidity and higher. If the plant is not getting enough filtered light, photosynthesis slows down, and the plant loses the chlorophyll that produces the green appearance. Temperature, too, is a common cause of white leaves, and plants exposed to drafts from windows and outside doors often develop this whitening. I am afraid I just don't have enough information about how you care for the plant to pinpoint the problem, but perhaps the information contained in this Extension article may help: https://extension.umn.edu/houseplants/tropical-ferns#maidenhair-and-staghorn-ferns-1424815
Good luck!
Good luck!
Thank you so much!
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
On Dec 13, 2022, at 2:45 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
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