Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern (Rabbit's Foot Fern) care

Light

Bright but filtered. Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern burns within days in unfiltered south-facing summer sun, and stops growing within months in deep shade. Thrives in bright, filtered light — a east or west-facing window is ideal. It tolerates moderate indirect light but fronds become sparser in deep shade. Avoid harsh direct sun which scorches the delicate pinnules. Dappled light outdoors is suitable in frost-free climates. If you only have a south window, set the plant back 1.5 m or hang a sheer curtain — both knock the intensity down into the right range.

Watering

Watering blue rabbit's foot fern: when the growing medium is nearly dry, roughly every 5-10 days in summer. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. The hairy rhizomes store moisture, giving Davallia solida some drought tolerance. Water thoroughly then allow the medium to partially dry before rewatering. In winter, reduce to every 14-21 days. Avoid wetting the rhizomes excessively — submerge the pot briefly rather than overhead watering.

Soil and pot

Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern grows best in very open, free-draining epiphyte mix. Use a mix of coarse orchid bark, perlite, and a small amount of sphagnum moss. Hanging baskets lined with sphagnum work well as the rhizomes can grip and spread naturally. Avoid dense potting compost that holds too much moisture around the rhizomes. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern sits happiest at around 50-70% humidity and 16-28°C (61-82°F). Moderate to high humidity suits this species well. In heated indoor environments, use a pebble tray or nearby humidifier. The rhizomes' water storage provides some buffer, but prolonged dry air causes frond browning and dieback. If you keep the room above 16 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed blue rabbit's foot fern sparingly. Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser at quarter strength once a month during spring and summer. Davallia species are light feeders — excess nutrients cause overly lush growth and salt damage to rhizomes. Withhold feeding in autumn and winter. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on blue rabbit's foot fern in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Shrivelling rhizomes — Indicates the plant has been allowed to dry out completely. Soak the entire pot or basket in water for 30 minutes to fully rehydrate the rhizomes.
• Frond tip browning — Caused by low humidity or fluoride in tap water. Raise humidity and use rainwater or filtered water.
• Root rot — Caused by overwatering or dense, poorly draining media. Trim any rotted rhizome sections and repot into a coarser, more open mix.
• Scale insects — Small brown scales on rhizomes and fronds. Remove with a cotton bud dipped in isopropyl alcohol and apply neem oil.
• Frond drop in autumn — Normal seasonal behaviour in lower light. Maintain warmth and reduce watering until new fronds emerge in spring.

Companion plants

Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern pairs well with Staghorn Fern (Platycerium bifurcatum), Orchid (Phalaenopsis), Hoya carnosa, and Tillandsia (air plants). These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Divide the creeping rhizomes in spring, cutting sections with at least 2-3 cm of rhizome and some fronds attached. Pin divisions onto a fresh sphagnum-lined basket or press lightly into epiphyte mix. Keep moist and humid until new fronds emerge, usually within 4-8 weeks. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern is pet-safe. Davallia solida is a true fern in the family Davalliaceae. True ferns are generally considered non-toxic by the ASPCA; Davallia is not individually listed but has no known toxicity. Considered safe around cats and dogs. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern deep-dive guides

Every aspect of blue rabbit's foot fern care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common blue rabbit's foot fern problems & fixes
• Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern watering schedule
• Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern light requirements
• Best soil mix for blue rabbit's foot fern
• Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern fertilizing guide
• When to repot blue rabbit's foot fern
• How to propagate blue rabbit's foot fern
• How to prune blue rabbit's foot fern
• What's eating my blue rabbit's foot fern?
• Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern growth rate & size
• Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern cold hardiness
• Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern temperature & humidity
• Is blue rabbit's foot fern toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is blue rabbit's foot fern toxic to cats?
• Is blue rabbit's foot fern toxic to dogs?
• All 10 Davallia varieties

Featured in these plant shortlists

Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern qualifies for 8 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best pet-safe houseplants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — every one verified against the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.
• Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best pet-safe low-maintenance plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and forgiving of forgotten watering — the easiest safe choices for a busy pet household.
• Best pet-safe plants for bright light — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in a bright, sunny spot — safe plants for your best-lit windowsill.
• Best cat-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats (and dogs) — safe greenery for a home with a curious cat.
• Best dog-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to dogs (and cats) — safe greenery for a home with a curious dog.
• Browse all 30 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern is also known as Rabbit's Foot Fern, Squirrel's Foot Fern, and Woolly Bear Fern.

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