Nephrolepis Exaltata Boston Fern

The Boston Fern is the houseplant fern most people picture first: a cascading, weeping mound of lacy, arching fronds 2 to 3 feet long, at home on a plant stand, in a hanging basket, or on a porch in summer. It is a rapid, low maintenance grower that has been a favorite parlor plant since the Victorian era, discovered as a natural sport of the wild sword fern in a shipment to Boston in the 1890s. Give it bright, indirect light, keep the soil consistently moist, and add humidity with a pebble tray or a naturally humid room like a kitchen or bathroom. It is hardy outdoors in USDA zones 10 through 12 and can summer outside in shaded, humid spots in most climates before coming back in ahead of frost. Read our full guide to bringing Boston Ferns indoors and overwintering them, and browse our ferns collection for more indoor plant ideas. Bring home a True Boston Fern and add a classic, cascading houseplant to your indoor garden.