Asplenium Bulbiferum - The Charming Hen & Chicken Fern
Meet the absolutely delightful Asplenium Bulbiferum Hen & Chicken Fern - a stunning Australian native that brings cascading elegance and endless fascination to homes across Australia! This gorgeous fern earns its charming common name from the tiny baby plantlets (the "chickens") that develop along the fronds of the mother plant (the "hen"), creating a living display that's constantly evolving and utterly captivating. Perfect for Australian plant lovers seeking a forgiving, pet-safe fern that thrives with minimal fuss.
Why Choose Asplenium Bulbiferum for Your Home?
- Adorable Baby Plantlets: Watch tiny "chicken" ferns develop along the fronds, which you can propagate to grow your collection or share with fellow plant enthusiasts - it's like having a self-propagating plant nursery in your home!
- Australian Native Beauty: Naturally adapted to Australian conditions, making it perfectly suited to our climate with gorgeous lacy, feathery fronds that add softness to any space
- Pet & Family Safe: Completely non-toxic to cats, dogs, and children - grow with absolute peace of mind in homes with curious pets and little ones
- Beginner-Friendly Champion: Incredibly forgiving and adaptable, tolerating a range of light conditions and surviving occasional neglect - perfect for those new to ferns or indoor plants
- Versatile Placement: Thrives in bright, indirect light but also tolerates lower light conditions, making it suitable for multiple spots throughout your Australian home
Care Instructions for Australian Conditions
Light: Your Hen & Chicken Fern is wonderfully adaptable when it comes to light. It thrives in bright, indirect light but also performs beautifully in lower light conditions, making it perfect for bathrooms, offices, or shadier corners of your home. In Australian conditions, position away from direct sunlight which can scorch the delicate fronds - east-facing or north-facing windows with filtered light work brilliantly.
Watering: Keep the potting medium consistently moist but never waterlogged - this is key to happy Asplenium Bulbiferum growth. Everyone's home is different, so pay attention to your specific environment rather than following a strict schedule. Check the top 2-3cm of the medium - when it feels slightly dry, give it a thorough watering. During Australian summer months (December-February), you'll likely water more frequently as the plant actively grows. In winter (June-August), reduce watering but don't allow the medium to dry out completely. If you're using a chunky, well-draining medium, you'll need to water more often than if you're using a finer, peat-heavy mix. The fronds will tell you if you're getting it wrong - crispy brown tips mean too dry, yellowing fronds might indicate overwatering.
Temperature: Comfortable in typical Australian indoor temperatures between 15-25°C. This adaptable native handles the temperature fluctuations in most Australian homes beautifully. Protect from cold drafts and sudden temperature drops, especially during winter months.
Humidity: While Hen & Chicken Ferns appreciate humidity, they're far more tolerant than most ferns. Group with other plants to create a naturally humid microclimate - this is the best way to maintain consistent moisture in the air around your fern. Bathrooms and kitchens with their naturally higher humidity levels are perfect spots. If you notice the frond tips browning, increase humidity by positioning near other plants or using a humidifier.
Fertilising: Feed your Asplenium Bulbiferum with Growth Technology Foliage Focus during the active growing season (September-March in Australia). Use at 3-5ml per litre of water at every watering for lush, vibrant fronds. The complete nutrient profile in Foliage Focus encourages those gorgeous cascading fronds and supports healthy baby plantlet development. During winter months, reduce feeding to monthly or pause altogether as growth naturally slows.
Propagation: This is where the magic happens! The baby plantlets that develop along the fronds can be carefully removed once they've developed small roots and potted up into their own containers. Simply place the baby fern on top of moist potting medium and keep humid - they'll establish surprisingly quickly. It's an incredibly rewarding way to expand your collection or share with friends.
Perfect For
- Beginner plant parents seeking a forgiving, easy-care fern
- Pet owners wanting safe, non-toxic greenery throughout their home
- Bathrooms, kitchens, and naturally humid spaces
- Offices and workspaces with artificial or lower natural light
- Creating lush, cascading displays on plant stands or shelves
- Plant enthusiasts who enjoy propagating and sharing plants
- Australian native plant collections celebrating local flora
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Asplenium Bulbiferum safe for pets and children?
Absolutely! Hen & Chicken Ferns are completely non-toxic to cats, dogs, and children. This makes them perfect for family homes where curious pets or little ones might investigate your plant collection. You can grow this beautiful Australian native with complete peace of mind.
Why are the frond tips on my Hen & Chicken Fern turning brown?
Brown frond tips usually indicate the air is too dry for your Asplenium Bulbiferum. While this fern is more tolerant than many, it still appreciates humidity. Group with other plants to create a humid microclimate, or move to a naturally humid room like a bathroom or kitchen. Also check your watering - if the potting medium is drying out too much between waterings, the tips can brown. Adjust your care routine based on what you're observing.
How do I care for the baby plantlets on my Mother Fern?
Those adorable baby ferns will develop naturally along the fronds of your Hen & Chicken Fern. You can leave them attached to enjoy the cascading effect, or once they develop small roots (usually when they're about 2-3cm across), carefully remove them and pot them up in their own containers with moist potting medium. Keep the babies humid and in bright, indirect light, and they'll establish beautifully. It's genuinely one of the easiest ferns to propagate!
Can Asplenium Bulbiferum tolerate low light conditions?
Yes! This is one of the most adaptable ferns when it comes to light. While it grows fastest and most lushly in bright, indirect light, it tolerates lower light conditions surprisingly well. This makes it perfect for offices, bathrooms, or rooms that don't receive abundant natural light. Just avoid deep shade or the growth will slow significantly.
Every Asplenium Bulbiferum from Growing Grounds Australia represents our commitment to providing exceptional quality Australian native plants. We're thrilled to offer this beginner-friendly, pet-safe fern that brings the charm of cascading fronds and endless baby plantlets to plant lovers across Australia.
Please Note: As living plants, each specimen is unique and may vary in size, leaf count, and exact appearance from the images shown. The photos are representative examples of the quality and characteristics you can expect, but natural variations in shape, colour, and growth patterns make every plant one-of-a-kind. This individuality is part of what makes growing plants so special!
If you are from a quarantine restricted state & would like to purchase this plant we recommend using Paradise Distributors concierge service, make sure to contact them prior to purchasing: info@rareplants.net.au
Shipping & Greenhouse Collection
Let's Talk About How Your Plants Get to You!
Alright, so here's the deal with shipping - we try our best to send all our plants potted and ready to go, but sometimes due to larger orders or when we're moving through some big changes, we'll send some plants semi-bare rooted. If you haven't come across this before, it basically means we carefully remove a bunch of the soil before packing them up. I know that might sound a bit scary if you've never ordered plants online before, but trust me, this is actually a really smart way to do it! The main reason we do this is because it creates so much more room in the box, which means we can fit way more plants in one shipment for you. More plants in one box = more green goodness arriving at your door at once! The plants honestly handle the journey better without all that heavy, wet soil sloshing around too. Just make sure you've got some fresh potting mix ready to go when your green babies arrive, because they'll want to get tucked into their new home pretty quickly!
Now, let's chat about what actually fits in our boxes. We can safely fit about 4-6 plants in one box, or if you're stocking up on supplies, one box can hold 3 bags of medium plus 1L of Growth Technology. We really don't recommend adding heavy items with your plants though - it just puts extra stress on your precious plants during transit and limits how many we can fit. If your order ends up being heavier than our standard box can handle, we'll reach out to you about additional postage fees. We're always transparent about costs, no sneaky surprises!
When Does Everything Ship Out?
Here's how our timeline works - we process and ship orders the week after you place them. So if you order on a Tuesday, your plants will get packed and sent out sometime the following week. We ship Monday through Friday (because let's be real, we all need weekends to recharge!), and we're aiming to get your order out within 4-6 business days of processing. Sometimes things take a tiny bit longer because we're a small but mighty team, and we take absolute care in making sure every single plant is packed perfectly. Like, we're talking individual attention for each plant here. We don't rush this stuff!
Once your order ships, you'll get an email with your tracking number. If you haven't received that tracking email, it just means we're still working on your order - it hasn't left us yet. Please be patient with us! We promise we're working as fast as we can while still making sure everything is done right. We pack orders in chronological order to keep things fair for everyone, so no one's getting special treatment or jumping the queue. First come, first served, that's how we roll!
The Journey to Your Doorstep
All our orders ship with Australia Post, and here's something cool - they operate 24/7! That means even if your order gets sent out on a Friday afternoon, it's still making its way to you over the weekend. The postal system doesn't sleep, and honestly, that's pretty amazing for getting plants to you quickly. You can generally expect your plants to arrive within 2-7 days after we ship them, depending on where you are in Australia. Metro areas tend to be quicker, regional spots might take the full week, but either way, your tracking number will keep you in the loop the whole time.
And here's the thing that always blows people's minds - our plants are absolute troopers. We've tested this extensively, and they can genuinely survive in their boxes for up to three weeks if needed. Obviously we don't want them sitting around that long, but life happens, mail gets delayed sometimes, and we want you to know that your plants are prepped and ready to handle whatever the postal system throws at them. While we do our best to avoid delays, occasional unforeseen circumstances may slightly impact delivery times, but rest assured, your plants are packed with extra care and are tougher than you think!
Quarantine States (WA, NT, TAS)
We currently only ship directly to non-quarantine states. Unfortunately, biosecurity restrictions make it pretty complicated to send plants to Western Australia, Northern Territory, and Tasmania. But don't worry, we've got a solution for you! If you're from a quarantine restricted state and would like to purchase plants from us, we recommend using Paradise Distributors' concierge service. They're absolute legends and can handle all the biosecurity paperwork and requirements for you. Make sure to contact them prior to purchasing so they can give you all the details and help you out: info@rareplants.net.au
Come Visit the Greenhouse! (Rockdale)
If you're local or just love the idea of picking up your order in person, we've got you covered! Greenhouse collection from our Rockdale location is available the same week you make your purchase. Our opening hours are always changing, so make sure to check booking availability on our 'Visit the Greenhouse' page before purchasing. After you've paid for your order, just head over and book a time slot that works for you. You'll get to pick up your plants AND have a wander through the greenhouse while you're here, which honestly is such a vibe. Just please wear a mask if you're feeling unwell - it's a small space and we want to keep everyone safe and healthy!
Catch Us at Markets!
We do regular markets around Sydney and would love to meet you in person! If you'd prefer to skip shipping altogether and grab your order at one of our market stalls, just email us at info@growinggroundsaustralia.com and we can arrange collection at an upcoming market. It's a great way to chat plants face-to-face, see what else we've got on the day, and save on postage!
Questions? We're Here for You!
If you've got any questions about shipping, tracking, or literally anything else, please don't hesitate to contact us at info@growinggroundsaustralia.com. We love chatting with you guys and we're always happy to help troubleshoot, answer questions, or just talk plants!
Much love from the GG's Team 🌱
