Boston fern

Air filter disguised as a luxuriant green plant

Like a yoga exercise in slow motion the Boston fern’s leaf unfurls into a long green feather which equally calmly improves your home. 

Boston fern Thejoyofplants.co.uk

Colours and shapes 

Boston fern (officially called Nephrolepis) is a full, bushy plant with single or multiple feathered leaves. They grow obstinately in all directions, so that this green power plant likes to have some space around it in order to be able to develop optimally. New shoots and aerial roots give it a very natural jungle look. If cared for properly, Boston fern can last for years, and all that time it will be doing something for you too: it’s a plant with air-purifying properties that helps to clean the air in your home. Because Boston fern likes a humid environment it’s an ideal plant for the bathroom, also because it’s handy for popping it under the shower. 

Origin

Boston fern Is a member of the fern family: beautiful foliage plants with very varied appearances which have been growing on Earth since the Devonian period (400-350 million years ago). The genus includes 44 species, which particular grow in (sub-)tropical regions in south-east Asia and South America. The name Nephrolepis is derived from the Greek: ‘nephros’ means ‘kidney’ and ‘lepis’ means ‘scale’. The name refers to the shape of the protective skins on the spores under the leaf. 

Symbolism 

Boston fern symbolises sincerity, and according to old folk tales it’s a sign that there are fairies living nearby.