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soft fern plant

If you're captivated by the delicate textures and lush greenery of ferns, the soft fern plant is a must-have addition to your home or garden. Loved for its feathery fronds and gentle, tactile appearance, the soft fern plant brings a calming sense of nature to both indoor spaces and shaded outdoor retreats. Whether you're hunting for the ideal plant to complement your fern collection, searching for low-maintenance indoor greenery, or hoping to create a woodland-inspired garden, the soft fern plant perfectly fits the brief.

An Asplenium bulbiferum (Hen and Chicken Fern) growing in a shaded postion and displaying lush, green fronds.

Asplenium bulbiferum (Hen And Chicken Fern)

5 from 3 customers

Asplenium bulbiferum, commonly known as the Hen and Chicken Fern or Pikopiko Fern, is a popular NZ native prized for its lush, arching fronds and ability to produce baby ferns (plantlets) along the leaf edges. Ideal for shaded gardens, underplanting, or pots, it thrives in moist, well-drained soil with protection from direct sun and wind.

From $26.15

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate
Plant type: Ferns
Height: 30 cm
Spread: 30 cm
Tolerances: Shade
Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Living areas, Parks, Paths & Steps, Ponds, Pool areas, Specimen
Garden styles: Architectural, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Native, Tropical
Large Jacaranda mimosifolia tree with blue flowers.

Jacaranda mimosifolia (Blue Jacaranda)

5 from 1 customers

Jacaranda mimosifolia, commonly known as the Blue Jacaranda tree, is a tropical-looking tree that is widely planted because of its beautiful and long-lasting blue flowers. Loose clusters of the deep blue-mauve flowers are borne across the tree through spring and summer.

From $323.65

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Trees
Height: 12.00 m
Spread: 8.00 m
Flowering time: Spring, Summer
Tolerances: Hardy, Wind
Garden uses: Parks, Specimen
Garden styles: Alpine, Japanese, Tropical
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Podocarpus gracilior (African Fern Pine)

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Podocarpus macrophyllus 'Maki' (Fern Pine)

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Sedum rubrotinctum (Jelly Bean Plant) bright red foliage.
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Sedum rubrotinctum, commonly known as Jelly Bean Plant or Pork and Beans Plant, is a compact, low-growing succulent reaching 15–20 cm tall and...

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Cistus 'Snowmound' (White Rock Rose Plant)

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Agave americana 'Variegata' (Variegated Century Plant)

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Shadecloth - 70% Shade (Shade Cloth For Plants)

This shade cloth for plants, which is also used as plant windbreaks, reduces light levels and windspeeds by 70%. Therefore, 30% of the wind or light...

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Native Plant Fertiliser (Native Fertiliser)

Selecting the correct native plant fertiliser is essential as they often tend to be slow growing and so require a tailored nutrient plan to meet...

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Fertiliser for acid loving plants

Fertiliser for acid loving plants provides targeted nutrition for plants that perform best in acidic soil conditions. It helps support healthy...

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10 Litre Thermoformed Plant Pots

These lightweight pots are a cost effective means for growing on plants. They feature a strong and broad rim, have been UV stabilised for NZ...

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Ace1 Planting Spade

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Indoor Plant Fertiliser

All potted plants require indoor plant fertiliser. This is particularly important as many nurseries only put enough fertiliser in the pots to last...

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Strelitzia nicolai (White Bird Of Paradise Plant)

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0.5 Litre Plant Pots

0.5 Litre Plant Pots are a practical choice for growing young plants, herbs, seedlings, and smaller ornamentals. Their compact size makes them ideal...

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1.5 Litre Plant Pots are a practical choice for growing young shrubs, perennials, grasses, herbs, and other developing plants. They provide useful...

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2.5 Litre Plant Pots

2.5 Litre Plant Pots are a practical option for growing shrubs, perennials, grasses, herbs, and other developing plants. They provide ample root...

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3.5 Litre Plant Pots

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5 Litre Plant Pots

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Plant Watering Bottles provide a simple and convenient way to deliver water directly to indoor plants, seedlings, cuttings, and small container...

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White waterproof paper plant tags for sale.
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Waterproof Paper Plant Tags provide a practical way to label plants, trays, pots, and nursery stock while resisting moisture during everyday growing...

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A Cyathea smithii tree fern in a native reserve.
Cyathea smithii (Ponga Fern)

Cyathea smithii, commonly known as Ponga Tree or Soft Tree Fern, is a beautiful New Zealand native fern admired for its graceful fronds and soft...

OUT OF STOCK
Davallia solida (Rabbit Foot Fern) plant with lush, green fronds.
Davallia solida (Rabbits Foot Fern)

Davallia solida (Rabbit Foot Fern) is a charming fern recognised for its soft, lacy fronds and furry rhizomes that creep gracefully over the soil...

OUT OF STOCK
Adiantum cunninghamii ferns with short fronds bearing small, green leaves.
Adiantum cunninghamii (New Zealand Maidenhair Fern)

Adiantum cunninghamii is a graceful NZ native maidenhair fern prized for its finely divided fronds and soft, airy appearance. With delicate leaflets...

OUT OF STOCK
Stunning Blechnum 'Silver Lady' plants for sale at The Plant Company nursery.
Blechnum 'Silver Lady' (Dwarf Tree Fern)

Blechnum 'Silver Lady' is a graceful, compact fern admired for its soft arching fronds and vibrant green colouring. This refined fern brings elegance...

OUT OF STOCK
Adiantum aleuticum ferns growing as a cluster and featuring lush,green foliage.
Adiantum aleuticum (Five-Finger Fern)

Adiantum aleuticum, commonly known as the Western Maidenhair Fern or Five-Finger Fern, carries attractive, soft, mid-green foliage. The new fronds...

OUT OF STOCK
Asplenium bulbiferum (Hen And Chicken Fern)

Did you find what you are looking for?

You might be interested in exploring related Latin Names - Agave, Asplenium, and Cistus, or related Categories - Ground Fern, Grasses, and Indoor Plants.

Search soft fern plant

What Makes the Soft Fern Plant Special?

The soft fern plant is renowned for its slender, velvety fronds and gentle touch – a feature that appeals to plant enthusiasts and beginners alike. Unlike coarse or rigid ferns, soft ferns have a more delicate leaf structure, making them visually soothing and wonderfully pleasant to handle. Popular varieties like the Asplenium bulbiferum (Hen And Chicken Fern) are New Zealand natives that thrive in shady, protected positions. Their graceful growth habit means they're as at home in hanging baskets as they are in serene, shaded borders.

Best Soft Fern Plant Varieties for New Zealand Gardens

There are several exceptional soft fern options suited to New Zealand conditions. For striking texture and resilience, many gardeners choose the Davallia fejeensis (Rabbits Foot Fern), with its fine, lacy fronds and distinctive furry root runners. The Cyathea smithii (Ponga Fern), with its lush umbrella of soft fronds, is a beloved icon in native bush settings and provides a striking centrepiece for larger gardens. Another favourite is the Athyrium Okanum (Japanese Painted Fern Plant), valued for its silvery-green foliage and subtle, delicate colouring.

For those seeking something fern-like but with added versatility, the Podocarpus gracilior (African Fern Pine) offers a soft, needle-like appearance and can be shaped as a small tree or shrub, making it a wonderful companion to true soft ferns.

How to Grow and Care for Soft Fern Plants

The secret to thriving soft fern plants is to mimic their natural forest habitat: keep them in indirect light, maintain consistently moist (but not soggy) soil, and provide some humidity if they're indoors. They prefer soil rich in organic matter and respond well to gentle, regular misting. Mulching helps retain moisture in garden beds and pots. Soft fern plants generally dislike harsh sun and heavy wind, so choose sheltered sites and water regularly in dry weather for the healthiest, greenest fronds.

Perfect Uses for Soft Fern Plants

Soft fern plants are an excellent choice for creating calming, low-light corners indoors and for softening the edges of shady garden borders. Their fine foliage also works beautifully in woodland gardens, terrariums, and underplantings for larger trees or shrubs. With their gentle texture, soft ferns are popular in restorative garden designs and sensory spaces for their soothing appearance and touch. Whether mass planted or displayed solo, the soft fern plant transforms any area into a lush green oasis.

Bring home the gentle elegance of a soft fern plant and give your indoor spaces or garden beds a touch of New Zealand’s verdant tranquility. Explore the full range of ferns and fern-like plants in our collection — from the graceful Cyathea smithii (Ponga Fern) to the architectural Podocarpus gracilior (African Fern Pine) — and find the perfect soft texture for your space.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.

Illustration of plant leaves.
There’s more to explore beyond Gardenia 'Veitchii' and Buxus sempervirens (Boxwood) — like the subtle beauty of Camellia japonica 'Jurys Yellow', Lavender 'Sensation White', and Dietes iridioides (African Iris).
–The Plant Company

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