Written and edited by Tammy 8th March 2025.
Do you want to know my favourite thing about walking into my bathroom every morning?... Revelling in the sheer beauty and vibrance of my Hares foot fern davallia canariensis.
I still don't entirely understand my infatuation with them, I have the gravest phobia of spiders and the furry Rhizomes that crawl out of the centre of the plant closely resemble that of a huntsman spider.... Nevertheless, they're one of my favourite indoor plants that I seem to be successful in growing.
Caring for a Hares foot fern Davallia canariensis
Davallia canariensis commonly known as hares-foot fern or rabbits-foot fern is native to the Canary Islands hence the name.
They have the daintiest fine dark green fronds, that grow on the furry little crawling appendages called rhizomes.
Size
They can potentially grow up to 50cm in height and spread to cover an area of 100cm.
Mine, in the main picture at the top of the page progressed into a 20cm pot about 6 months ago once it began infringing on our personal space brushing our teeth each day, sitting where it was beside the sink. Amazing how quick they grow when they're happy.
Now hanging from the ceiling in the bathroom, it's quickly reached a size of almost 80cm from its top to the lowest point of the fronds below.
Habitat
In their natural habitat these ferns are epiphytic meaning, they grow on other host plants, or in rock crevasses with their rhizomes deriving moisture and nutrients from the air, so it's important not to trim back or disturb them.
Light preferences
They like a bright filtered light (not direct) and need to be kept moist at all times but not sodden. Misting the fronds to create humidity is favourable or if you've got room in your bathroom that gets steamy, better still. Mine is in the bathroom on the Northern side of the house where it's always nice and bright and it's thriving in there.
Fertiliser/ what to feed them
As with all my indoor plants, once or twice throughout the warmer months when they're actively growing, I give them a dose of soluble fertiliser, Seasol Powerfeed, and Seasol Health Treatment.
I also throw on a spoonful of Munash Organics Indoor plant soil food. Its key ingredient is natural rock minerals sourced from volcanic rock in Victoria and made right there in Ballarat Victoria. My plants seem to like it and respond to it really well, so I keep using it.
As always, please make sure you use the products as per the manufacturer's instructions on the labels.
I wonder how many others are scared of spiders yet love these plants like me🪴😍
Happy Gardening!
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