Squirrel's Foot Fern (Ball fern) care

Light

In the wild squirrel's foot fern grows on the bright edge of a forest canopy, not in the canopy and not in the open. Indoors, that translates to within a metre of an unobstructed window, sheer curtain optional. Bright, indirect light suits it best; it tolerates medium light. Keep out of direct sun, which scorches the fine fronds. An east window or a few feet back from a brighter one is ideal. The fastest test: a hand held at the leaf casts a soft-edged shadow at noon — sharp shadow means too much sun, no shadow means too little light.

Watering

Aim for when the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 5-7 days for squirrel's foot fern, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Keep lightly and evenly moist during growth, letting the surface just dry between waterings. The exposed rhizomes resent constant wet; water the mix, not the rhizome. Reduce watering if it drops fronds in cooler months.

Soil and pot

Squirrel's Foot Fern grows best in light, airy, free-draining epiphytic mix. A blend of bark, coir, leaf mould and perlite holds gentle moisture while draining freely. Shallow pots or baskets suit the surface-running rhizomes. Avoid dense, sodden potting soil. 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

Squirrel's Foot Fern sits happiest at around 50-70% humidity and 16-24°C (60-75°F). Prefers moderate to high humidity for lush fronds. A pebble tray, grouping or humidifier helps; very dry air causes frond crisping and leaf drop. More tolerant of average rooms than fine-frond ferns like maidenhair. 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 squirrel's foot fern sparingly. Feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength. It needs little feeding and is sensitive to salt build-up, so flush the pot periodically. Stop 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 squirrel's foot fern in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Shrivelled, dried-out rhizomes — The furry rhizomes desiccate in dry air or if the mix stays too dry. Raise humidity and keep the surface lightly moist; mist the rhizomes occasionally.
• Frond drop — Caused by low humidity, dryness, or a cool dormancy. Improve humidity and steady moisture; some seasonal shedding is normal as it is deciduous.
• Scorched fronds — Direct sun burns the fine foliage. Move to bright indirect light.
• Rotting rhizomes or roots — Overwatering or a dense, sodden mix. Switch to an airy epiphytic blend and let the surface dry between waterings.

Propagation

Divide a section of rhizome bearing a few fronds in spring and pin it onto fresh airy mix or a mounting medium until it roots. The rhizomes also root readily in kokedama or on bark. Spore propagation is possible but slow. 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

Squirrel's Foot Fern is pet-safe. ASPCA-listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs: Davallia appears on the ASPCA non-toxic list under names including Ball Fern, Rabbit's Foot Fern, Squirrel Foot Fern and Hare Fern. Eating large amounts of any plant can still cause mild, transient GI upset. 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.

Squirrel's Foot Fern deep-dive guides

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

• Squirrel's Foot Fern watering schedule
• Squirrel's Foot Fern light requirements
• Best soil mix for squirrel's foot fern
• Squirrel's Foot Fern fertilizing guide
• When to repot squirrel's foot fern
• How to propagate squirrel's foot fern
• Squirrel's Foot Fern growth rate & size
• Squirrel's Foot Fern cold hardiness
• Squirrel's Foot Fern temperature & humidity
• Is squirrel's foot fern toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is squirrel's foot fern toxic to cats?
• Is squirrel's foot fern toxic to dogs?

Featured in these plant shortlists

Squirrel'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 trailing & climbing houseplants — Vining and trailing houseplants for shelves, hanging pots, and moss poles — selected by growth habit.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best pet-safe trailing & hanging plants — Trailing and climbing plants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — safe for shelves and hanging pots in a pet home.
• 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 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Squirrel's Foot Fern is also commonly called Ball fern or Squirrel foot fern.

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