Nephrolepis exaltata Fluffy Ruffle - Boston fern

Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Fluffy Ruffle’, a small indoor Boston fern, is very compact with charming, completely curly foliage. Its very fresh green fronds form a clump that is both light and dense, perfect for dressing up a terrarium, a shelf, or a hanging basket. It is not very bulky, fitting easily into contemporary interiors as well as "jungle chic" atmospheres.

Belonging to the Nephrolepidaceae family, Nephrolepis exaltata is the species from which most Boston ferns originate. This plant, sometimes called Polypodium exaltatum, is native to the humid forests, shaded undergrowth, and marshes of the tropical regions of the Americas. Widespread from Florida to Brazil, via Mexico and the Caribbean, it grows on the soil or as an epiphyte on tree trunks.
The cultivar ‘Fluffy Ruffle’ (sometimes called ‘Fluffy Ruffles’) is an old dwarf horticultural selection. The plant forms an evergreen clump 20 to 30 cm in height and 25 to 30 cm in width, making it much more compact than the classic form. Its short and upright fronds are densely covered with dark green, deeply cut pinnae with ruffled and sometimes bifid edges; they give the foliage that characteristic very "fluffy" appearance. These fronds emerge from a short, thickened rhizome that emits a few fine stolons. In this cultivar, spore production is weak or non-existent.
The Boston fern is not toxic to humans, dogs, or cats.

Indoors, Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Fluffy Ruffle’ likes soft to bright light without direct sun, fairly humid air, and stable temperatures of 18 to 24 °C. It is considered quite easy, but it still requires some care: it reacts quickly to air that is too dry or if you forget to water it. It thrives particularly well in a terrarium, but also adapts to a bright bathroom or kitchen, a frost-free conservatory, or a warm greenhouse.

This ‘Fluffy Ruffle’ fern forms a pretty little cushion of greenery above a light wood sideboard or in a ceramic planter on a coffee table. It can also decorate the conservatory in a hanging basket. You can pair it with a Calathea makoyana, a rabbit's foot fern, and a Microsorum musifolium 'Crocodyllus'; all appreciate the same dappled light and a very humid atmosphere. In a large open terrarium or indoor garden, combine it with Maranta with mobile leaves: ‘Fluffy Ruffle’ will offer them a finely textured, enveloping green backdrop.