Mature size & growth rate

How big does Squirrel's Paw Fern (Davallia bullata) get?

Also called Squirrel's Paw Fern, Ball Fern, Hare's Foot Fern.

More about squirrel's paw fern

About Squirrel's Paw Fern

Davallia bullata · also called Squirrel's Paw Fern, Ball Fern · houseplant

Davallia bullata is an epiphytic fern from tropical Asia with finely divided, feathery fronds and thick, creeping rhizomes covered in brown and white scales resembling a squirrel's paw. Easy to grow as a hanging basket or mounted specimen, it tolerates average indoor conditions and brief drying out, making it one of the more beginner-friendly ferns.

Mature size: 25–40 cm tall, 40–60 cm spread

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Squirrel's Paw Fern stays fairly low but widens over time — it spreads into a bigger clump by offsets, runners or rhizomes rather than shooting upward. Indoors and in a pot, expect 25–40 cm tall, 40–60 cm spread. A pot, your light levels and a little pruning are what set the final size in a home, far more than the plant's theoretical potential.

Size here is about width, not height: the plant builds an ever-wider clump or sends out plantlets and runners while staying relatively short.

Growth rate and years to mature

Squirrel's Paw 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 (half strength) from spring to early autumn. davallia species are light feeders; feeding too frequently or at full strength leads to salt burn on the rhizomes and frond tips. withhold fertiliser completely in winter.

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

How to keep squirrel's paw fern smaller

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

Divide the clump every year or two — splitting squirrel's paw fern is the main way to control its spread and refresh it.
Remove runners, plantlets or offsets as they appear if you want it to stay a single tight clump.
Keep it slightly pot-bound; a snug pot naturally limits how wide the clump can get.

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

Lift the whole plant. Slide squirrel's paw fern out of its pot in spring when the clump has filled it.
Split the clump. Tease or cut the rootball into two or more sections, each with healthy roots and growth.
Repot one division. Put a single division back in the original pot to reset it to a smaller size; pot or give away the rest.
Remove offsets as they form. Through the year, detach new runners or pups to stop it spreading again.

How to grow squirrel's paw fern bigger or faster

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

Give it a wider pot and let the clump fill it — width is exactly how this plant gets bigger.
Good light plus regular feeding maximises offset and runner production.
Leave plantlets and offsets attached and feed through the growing season for the fastest spread.

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

When squirrel's paw fern outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for squirrel's paw fern:

The clump bulging over the pot rim or splitting the pot — the cue to divide, not to find a bigger room.
A dense centre that goes bare or tired while the edges keep spreading.
Runners or offsets escaping across the shelf or into neighbouring pots.

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

Squirrel's Paw Fern size — frequently asked questions

How big does squirrel's paw fern get?

Squirrel's Paw Fern reaches 25–40 cm tall, 40–60 cm spread when grown indoors. Size here is about width, not height: the plant builds an ever-wider clump or sends out plantlets and runners while staying relatively short.

Is squirrel's paw fern slow or fast growing?

Squirrel's Paw Fern is a moderate grower. Expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Squirrel's Paw Fern stays fairly low but widens over time — it spreads into a bigger clump by offsets, runners or rhizomes rather than shooting upward.

How long does squirrel's paw 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 squirrel's paw fern smaller?

Divide the clump every year or two — splitting squirrel's paw fern is the main way to control its spread and refresh it. Remove runners, plantlets or offsets as they appear if you want it to stay a single tight clump. Keep it slightly pot-bound; a snug pot naturally limits how wide the clump can get.

How can I make squirrel's paw fern grow bigger or faster?

Give it a wider pot and let the clump fill it — width is exactly how this plant gets bigger. Good light plus regular feeding maximises offset and runner production. Leave plantlets and offsets attached and feed through the growing season for the fastest spread.