Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern (Davallia solida)
Also called Rabbit's Foot Fern, Squirrel's Foot Fern, Woolly Bear Fern.
More about blue rabbit's foot fern
About Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern
Davallia solida · also called Rabbit's Foot Fern, Squirrel's Foot Fern · tropical
Davallia solida is a striking epiphytic fern from tropical Australasia and the Pacific, famous for its creeping, furry rhizomes that clamber over the edges of baskets and pots. The finely divided, triangular fronds add delicate texture to any display. Best grown in hanging baskets with high humidity. Considered pet-safe as a true fern.
Preferred mix: Very open, free-draining epiphyte mix
Watch for — Root rot: Caused by overwatering or dense, poorly draining media. Trim any rotted rhizome sections and repot into a coarser, more open mix.
Why blue rabbit's foot fern needs this mix
Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern is an epiphyte — in the wild its roots grip tree bark in open air, so it must be grown in chunky bark, never in potting soil.
- Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern's thick green roots photosynthesise and need air and light — bark holds them loosely while letting them breathe and dry between waterings.
- Bark drains almost instantly, then dries, which is exactly the soak-then-dry cycle an epiphyte root expects on a tree branch.
- The chunky structure stops the roots ever sitting in stagnant water, the single thing they cannot tolerate.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons blue rabbit's foot fern struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- Potting soil suffocates blue rabbit's foot fern within months — the roots stay wet, go brown and hollow, and the plant slowly collapses even while the leaves look fine at first.
- Fine, broken-down old bark behaves like soil and is the leading cause of orchid root rot — this is why the medium itself has a shelf life.
- Packing moss tightly around the roots traps water against them and rots them just as fast as soil.
Ever using ordinary compost or "houseplant soil" for blue rabbit's foot fern, or leaving it in old, decomposed bark for years. Fresh, coarse bark is non-negotiable.
pH — does it matter for blue rabbit's foot fern?
Orchid bark sits slightly acidic (around pH 5.5-6.5) as it ages, which suits blue rabbit's foot fern well. Testing pH is unnecessary; replacing spent bark on time matters far more.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
Bagged "orchid bark mix" is genuinely good for blue rabbit's foot fern and the easiest correct choice — just buy a coarse grade, not fine. Adding a little perlite or charcoal from the ratio above extends its life.
Drainage and the pot
Use a pot with many holes (or a clear orchid pot) so roots get air and light and water never pools. Stand it in a cover pot only briefly while it drains, then tip every drop away.
Bark decomposes — repot blue rabbit's foot fern into fresh coarse bark every 1-2 years, ideally just after flowering, the moment the mix starts to look broken-down and soggy. When the time comes, our repotting guide for blue rabbit's foot fern covers the timing and technique step by step.
Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for blue rabbit's foot fern?
4 parts coarse fir or pine orchid bark : 1 part perlite or horticultural charcoal : 1 part sphagnum moss (optional, for dry homes). Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern's thick green roots photosynthesise and need air and light — bark holds them loosely while letting them breathe and dry between waterings.
Can I use normal potting soil for blue rabbit's foot fern?
Potting soil suffocates blue rabbit's foot fern within months — the roots stay wet, go brown and hollow, and the plant slowly collapses even while the leaves look fine at first. Bagged "orchid bark mix" is genuinely good for blue rabbit's foot fern and the easiest correct choice — just buy a coarse grade, not fine. Adding a little perlite or charcoal from the ratio above extends its life.
Does blue rabbit's foot fern need a special pH?
Orchid bark sits slightly acidic (around pH 5.5-6.5) as it ages, which suits blue rabbit's foot fern well. Testing pH is unnecessary; replacing spent bark on time matters far more.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for blue rabbit's foot fern?
Bagged "orchid bark mix" is genuinely good for blue rabbit's foot fern and the easiest correct choice — just buy a coarse grade, not fine. Adding a little perlite or charcoal from the ratio above extends its life.
How often should I refresh the soil for blue rabbit's foot fern?
Bark decomposes — repot blue rabbit's foot fern into fresh coarse bark every 1-2 years, ideally just after flowering, the moment the mix starts to look broken-down and soggy. Use a pot with many holes (or a clear orchid pot) so roots get air and light and water never pools. Stand it in a cover pot only briefly while it drains, then tip every drop away.
Keep reading
- Blue Rabbit's Foot Fern care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water blue rabbit's foot fern — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting blue rabbit's foot fern — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
- Overwatered plant — signs and recovery
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry diagnosis
- Best soil for goeppertia white fusion
- Best soil for goeppertia flamestar
- Best soil for goeppertia beauty star
- All 11687 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library