Plant care
Squirrel's Foot Ferntemperature & humidity
Davallia trichomanoides
More about squirrel's foot fern
Ideal temperature for squirrel's foot fern
Aim for 16-24°C (60-75°F) on the thermostat and you've handled the easy part. The hard part is the half-metre around the plant: window glass that drops to near-freezing on a January night, a radiator pumping out hot dry air, a draught from an opened front door. Move the plant 30 cm and you've usually fixed the problem. Below roughly 16°C the damage starts — soft blackened patches, translucent leaves, sometimes overnight.
Cold tolerance & winter care
Squirrel's Foot Fern is frost-tender (USDA 9-11 (indoor-only in temperate climates), RHS H1c). It cannot survive a frost, so in most of the US and UK it lives indoors year-round or summers outside and comes back in well before the first autumn frost — once nights drop toward 10-12°C is the cue, not the first frost warning. Acclimate it over a week when moving between indoors and out so the leaves do not shock.
Humidity for squirrel's foot fern
Squirrel's Foot Fern sits happiest at around 50-65% relative humidity. Moderate humidity is beneficial but this fern is more tolerant of dry air than many others, as the fleshy rhizomes store moisture. Occasional misting of the rhizomes (not the fronds) in dry conditions is helpful. The usual low-humidity tell is crisp brown leaf tips and edges while the soil moisture is fine — a sign the air, not the watering, is the problem. If you need to raise it, the reliable methods are grouping plants together, standing the pot on a tray of damp pebbles (the pot above the waterline, never in it), or running a small humidifier in winter when indoor heating dries the air most. Misting is the least effective — it raises humidity for minutes, not hours.
Squirrel's Foot Fern temperature & humidity — frequently asked questions
What temperature is best for squirrel's foot fern?
Squirrel's Foot Fern grows best between 16-24°C (60-75°F). Keep it out of cold draughts, off freezing windowsills in winter, and away from the hot dry air directly above radiators — the extremes matter far more than the average room temperature.
How cold can squirrel's foot fern tolerate?
Squirrel's Foot Fern starts to suffer below roughly 16°C. It is frost-tender and will be damaged or killed by a frost, so bring it indoors once nights fall toward 10-12°C.
What humidity does squirrel's foot fern need?
Squirrel's Foot Fern prefers about 50-65% relative humidity. Moderate humidity is beneficial but this fern is more tolerant of dry air than many others, as the fleshy rhizomes store moisture. Occasional misting of the rhizomes (not the fronds) in dry conditions is helpful.
How do I raise humidity for squirrel's foot fern?
Group it with other plants, stand the pot on a tray of damp pebbles (kept above the waterline), or run a small humidifier in winter. Misting only helps for a few minutes, so it is the weakest option for a plant that genuinely needs more humidity.
Can squirrel's foot fern live outside?
Squirrel's Foot Fern is rated for USDA zone 9-11 (indoor-only in temperate climates) and RHS hardiness H1c. Outside that range it must come indoors before the first frost — treat any outdoor stint as a summer holiday, not a permanent home.
More squirrel's foot fern care
In the UK? Keeping squirrel's foot fern warm in a UK home covers the radiator, single-glazing and heating-season humidity angle. Temperature and humidity are one piece. See the full squirrel's foot fern care guide, its cold-hardiness guide, and watering schedule — humidity and watering problems are easy to confuse.