Ferns to Grow Indoors

Indoor gardeners all to often find themselves with windows that either face north or windows that are simply too shaded from building overhangs or trees. They need plants that will thrive in these conditions. I face this exact situation and found that ferns grown in a covered terrarium did well for me. The cover helps to keep the humidity high so the plants are thriving even though my house has typical dry winter air. I'd like to share a book with you that taught me about tropical ferns which are ideal to grow inside in a closed terrarium.

Ferns of the Tropics written by Wee Yeow Chin, was published by Timber Press in 1998. The book contains many photographs of the various fern species growing in their native conditions. It also presents excellent close-ups of parts of the fern to illustrate the accompanying text. This highly readable book provides all the basic information a first-time fern grower would need to learn to grow these plants and to propagate them. Let's take a more detailed look at the book's contents now.

Chin opens this book by talking about how the word "fern" originated, and telling us where it fits in the plant kingdom. He gives a clear explanation of why different fern genera were grouped into families. Then he explains the horticulturist's use of the terms "sports" and "cultivars." A brief discussion of the number of fern genera found in various geographical regions.

The second section talks about the parts of the fern plant. Illustrations and photographs help the reader understand the text better. Did you know that ferns have the most complicated method of reproduction I've heard of in the plant kingdom? Be sure to read this section to learn the details. It gives you a sense of wonder that we even have these plants since the conditions needed to complete the reproduction process are so specific!

Ferns have been credited with many powers. They are used to drive away evil spirits by some cultures. Some are used in love potions. American Indians used fiddleheads to treat rheumatism or heart problems. The section titled "Ferns in Folklore and Superstition" presents many other examples.

Ferns are used for everything from erosion control to food. Reading the section called Economic Uses of Ferns was quite interesting. I had never heard of eating the young ferns (fiddleheads) or using ferns to create tea and beer. This section gives the reader a deeper appreciation for the role ferns play in today's world -- both economically and as ornamental plants in our gardens.

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