Kimberly Queen Fern (Nephrolepis obliterata)

Kimberly Queen Fern Plant Features

Bold and beautiful, Kimberly queen fern (also called sword fern because the fronds are straight and narrow) is easy to grow. The dark green fronds are perfect for adding tropical texture to shaded decks, patios, and other outdoor living areas. It's particularly striking in large containers as a specimen plant, but also plays well with other shade-loving tropicals including gingers, heliconias, and caladiums. Or, pair it with traditional shade-loving annuals such as New Guinea impatiens, golden sweet potato vine, or begonias.  

Low-maintenance Kimberly Queen fern grows well both in containers and planted in the ground. It grows 3 feet tall and the mature fronds develop attractive spots (spores) on the undersides of each leaf. Hardy from zones 9-11.

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Kimberly Queen Fern Growing Instructions

Kimberly queen fern doesn't tolerate frosty temperatures. If you live in a cold-winter area, you'll need to treat this plant as an annual or move it indoors for the winter. Inside, it likes medium light with abundant humidity. Try grouping your Kimberly queen fern with other houseplants and place a small humidifier near it to increase the amount of moisture in the air. When the humidity is too low, the fern develops brown, crispy fronds. While Kimberly queen fern thrives in shade, it also tolerates partially sunny spots if kept evenly moist. Kimberly queen fern is a natural air purifier when grown indoors.

Outdoors, Kimberly Queen fern is an evergreen perennial in tropical and subtropical areas such as South Florida.

This tropical fern typically doesn't require a lot of fertilizer. At minimum, you can fertilize once a twice a year -- every six months or so. If you would like your Kimberly Queen fern to grow faster, you can feed it more frequently, following the directions on the fertilizer packaging. You can use any general-purpose fertilizer on this fern; it's not particularly fussy.

Kimberly Queen fern is not recommended for human or animal consumption.

  • Water

    Moist

  • Light

    Indoors: Medium light

    Outside: Part sun

    Outside: Shade

  • Colors

    Green

  • Special Features

    Deer/rabbit resistant

    Purifies the air

    Super-easy to grow

Complement your Kimberly Queen Fern

Begonia
In a large tub or planter surround Kimberly Queen fern with a mass of Begonia for an extra dose of color.

Caladium
An ideal partner for Kimberly Queen fern, Caladium adds dramatic color with its big, bold leaves.

Impatiens, New Guinea
A native of Australia, Kimberly Queen fern mixes well with its neighbor from "down under", New Guinea impatiens.