Boston Fern
Boston Fern is a vegetable in the Nephrolepidaceae family. It grows best in bright indirect light with high moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 9-11.
Varieties
1 · sorted by days to maturity▸Boston Fern
PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Tropical fern (division) (not in original seed catalog). Use: Lush arching fronds; humidity lover. Note: Considered pet-safe.
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) is a classic lush houseplant and porch fern with arching feathery fronds; it craves humidity and consistently moist soil and is pet-safe.
Growing notes: Botanical name: Nephrolepis exaltata|Hardiness zones: 9-11|Propagation: division|Light: Bright indirect light|Water: High|Mature size: 1-3 feet
Plan your boston fern planting
Add boston fern to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →At a glance
Storing & preserving
Most keep best refrigerated; storage crops prefer a cool, dry spot.
- Freeze: Blanch briefly, cool, then freeze — keeps color and texture.
- Can: Pressure-can low-acid vegetables; water-bath only pickled/acidified ones.
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting
No curated care & troubleshooting advice for boston fern yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.