How to care for Crocodile Fern
Microsorum musifolium · Polypodiaceae
The crocodile fern's broad, strappy fronds carry a puckered, scaly texture uncannily like crocodile skin, making it one of the most distinctive ferns in cultivation. It wants steadier moisture and humidity than its tough Microsorum cousins. Given a warm, bright-shaded spot it forms an impressive rosette of textured green. Water roughly every 4 days while it's growing (about every 7 in winter), give it a bright room away from the window, kept above 59°F (15°C) — it wants humid air.
Care at a glance
Keep the mix lightly moist, watering when just the surface dries; avoid letting water pool in the central rosette.
Bright to medium indirect light; direct sun bleaches and scorches the thin, textured fronds.
Half-strength balanced liquid fertilizer monthly from spring through early autumn.
Mistakes that kill this plant
- Cold drafts or rooms under 59°F (15°C) in winter.
- Letting it dry out repeatedly in low humidity.
- Watering into the rosette center until the crown rots.
Seasonal tips
- Keep it warm year-round; winter windowsill chill damages it faster than most ferns.
- Run a humidifier nearby during heating season to preserve the broad fronds.
- Rotate the pot regularly so the rosette grows evenly.
Is it safe for pets?
We couldn’t place Crocodile Fern on a toxic or a non-toxic list, so its toxicity is unconfirmed — which is not the same as safe.
Full pet-safety details for cats & dogsCare for your Crocodile Fern on autopilot
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Toxicity here is informational, not a safety guarantee. Those are our own records, compiled by following the ASPCA's published toxic and non-toxic plant lists and Pet Poison Helpline's plant poison list rather than copied from them — confirm anything that matters against those lists or with your vet. If your pet ingested this plant, contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.