Plant care
Squirrel's Paw Ferntemperature & humidity
Davallia bullata
More about squirrel's paw fern
Ideal temperature for squirrel's paw fern
Squirrel's Paw Fern is comfortable in any room a person is comfortable in, roughly 15–27 °C (59–81 °F). The mistakes are micro-climates: a north-facing window on a frosty night, a south-facing windowsill in a summer heatwave, the standing draught between an opened kitchen door and the radiator behind it. Read the room around the plant, not the thermostat. Below roughly 15°C the damage starts — soft blackened patches, translucent leaves, sometimes overnight.
Cold tolerance & winter care
Squirrel's Paw Fern is frost-tender (USDA 10–12, RHS H1b). 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 paw fern
Squirrel's Paw Fern sits happiest at around 45–65% relative humidity. Tolerates average household humidity better than many tropical ferns. Aim to keep humidity above 45% to prevent frond tip browning. In winter, when central heating dries the air significantly, a pebble tray with water or a humidifier near the plant is beneficial. 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 Paw Fern temperature & humidity — frequently asked questions
What temperature is best for squirrel's paw fern?
Squirrel's Paw Fern grows best between 15–27 °C (59–81 °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 paw fern tolerate?
Squirrel's Paw Fern starts to suffer below roughly 15°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 paw fern need?
Squirrel's Paw Fern prefers about 45–65% relative humidity. Tolerates average household humidity better than many tropical ferns. Aim to keep humidity above 45% to prevent frond tip browning. In winter, when central heating dries the air significantly, a pebble tray with water or a humidifier near the plant is beneficial.
How do I raise humidity for squirrel's paw 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 paw fern live outside?
Squirrel's Paw Fern is rated for USDA zone 10–12 and RHS hardiness H1b. 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 paw fern care
In the UK? Keeping squirrel's paw 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 paw fern care guide, its cold-hardiness guide, and watering schedule — humidity and watering problems are easy to confuse.