Mature size & growth rate

How big does Foxtail Fern (Asparagus densiflorus 'Myersii') get?

Also called Foxtail fern, Myers fern, Myers asparagus fern, Plume asparagus, Foxtail asparagus fern.

More about foxtail fern

About Foxtail Fern

Asparagus densiflorus 'Myersii' · also called Foxtail fern, Myers fern · houseplant

Foxtail fern (Asparagus densiflorus 'Myersii') is an upright, plume-like evergreen grown for its dense, bottlebrush fronds. Despite the name it is not a true fern. Give bright indirect light, well-draining soil, and water when the top couple of inches dry out. It is ASPCA-listed toxic to cats and dogs.

Mature size: Roughly 2-3 ft (60-90 cm) tall and 3-4 ft (90-120 cm) wide at maturity; more compact when grown in a container indoors.

Watch for — Browning or scorched tips: Caused by too much direct sun, heat, or very dry air. Move out of harsh afternoon sun. Some browning of older interior fronds is natural as dense growth shades out lower stems.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Foxtail Fern does not get tall — it gets long. Size here is about stem length and how you train or cut it, not how much floor it claims. Indoors and in a pot, expect roughly 2-3 ft (60-90 cm) tall and 3-4 ft (90-120 cm) wide at maturity. In the ground with no restriction it is a completely different plant — more compact when grown in a container indoors. — which is why the pot, the light and the pruning matter so much for the size you actually end up with.

Growth shows up as lengthening stems that trail down or climb up a support; the plant can be kept tiny or grown metres long from the exact same root system.

Growth rate and years to mature

Foxtail Fern is a moderate grower. Realistically, expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Its feeding profile backs this up: feed monthly with a diluted balanced liquid fertiliser during spring and summer, or apply slow-release granules once at the start of the growing season. stop or reduce feeding in autumn and winter when growth slows.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the foxtail fern repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast foxtail fern grows.

How to keep foxtail fern smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For foxtail fern specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

Trim the longest vines back to the length you want — foxtail fern takes hard cutting well and bushes out from the cut.
Cut just above a leaf node; each trimmed stem usually branches into two, so pruning makes it fuller, not sparser.
The cuttings root easily in water or mix, so "keeping it smaller" doubles as free new plants.
A trim once or twice a season is usually enough to hold its length.

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

Decide the length you want. Pick the point each vine of foxtail fern should stop — you can be aggressive; it regrows readily.
Cut just above a node. Snip about 0.5 cm above a leaf node so the stem branches there instead of dying back.
Root the cuttings. Drop the trimmed pieces in water or mix — they root in 2-4 weeks and can fill the same pot for a bushier look.
Repeat as it runs. Re-trim whenever it overshoots; regular light pruning keeps it both smaller and fuller.

How to grow foxtail fern bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for foxtail fern the accelerators are:

Good light plus a moss pole or trellis triggers the longest, fastest, largest-leaved growth.
Give it something to climb — many vines grow far faster and bigger up a support than trailing.
Feed through spring and summer and keep it consistently watered while it is actively running.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The foxtail fern light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When foxtail fern outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for foxtail fern:

Vines pooling on the floor or wrapping past where you want them — purely a trimming cue, not a repot one.
Bare, leggy stems with leaves only at the tips (usually a light problem, not a size one).
A tangled mass that has outrun its support and needs cutting back and re-training.

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the foxtail fern repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the foxtail fern propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Foxtail Fern size — frequently asked questions

How big does foxtail fern get?

Foxtail Fern reaches roughly 2-3 ft (60-90 cm) tall and 3-4 ft (90-120 cm) wide at maturity when grown indoors, and far larger where it grows unrestricted (more compact when grown in a container indoors.). Growth shows up as lengthening stems that trail down or climb up a support; the plant can be kept tiny or grown metres long from the exact same root system.

Is foxtail fern slow or fast growing?

Foxtail Fern is a moderate grower. Expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Foxtail Fern does not get tall — it gets long. Size here is about stem length and how you train or cut it, not how much floor it claims.

How long does foxtail fern take to reach full size?

Roughly three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep foxtail fern smaller?

Trim the longest vines back to the length you want — foxtail fern takes hard cutting well and bushes out from the cut. Cut just above a leaf node; each trimmed stem usually branches into two, so pruning makes it fuller, not sparser. The cuttings root easily in water or mix, so "keeping it smaller" doubles as free new plants. A trim once or twice a season is usually enough to hold its length.

How can I make foxtail fern grow bigger or faster?

Good light plus a moss pole or trellis triggers the longest, fastest, largest-leaved growth. Give it something to climb — many vines grow far faster and bigger up a support than trailing. Feed through spring and summer and keep it consistently watered while it is actively running.