One of the more interesting ferns, and unusual plants, in any collection, Platycerium alcicorne often becomes enormous.  And the bigger it grows the bigger the price on it's head!  In Miami, a plant the size of ours can demand $300 or more.  A friend had one of these giants 4.25 meters (over 14 feet across)  hanging in his yard.  More than one person tried to steal it so they could cut it up and sell it as large pieces.  Finally, out of frustration, my friend hired a crane and had the plant raised high in an oak tree attached to a chain with heavy links.  It worked.  No one ever tried to steal the plant again. 

We started this specimen in 1998 from 3 tiny cuttings purchased at a garden store in Miami.  The starts were attached to the outside of a wire basket lined with a coconut liner and filled with sand, soil, peat and Perlite.  Today, the wire basket has vanished inside the fern!  The photo to the left shows the plant one year ago while the photo above and to the right shows it as it appears today (April, 2008).  Our P. alcicorne is now approximately 2.45 meters (8 feet) diagonally from tip to tip and hangs from the ceiling.  The ball surrounding the basket is now .7 meters (2.3 feet) wide and is growing rapidly.  As can be seen in the newer photos, the Platycerium alcicorne  has begun adding many new fronds in just the past year.   Compare the size of the orchid basket in both photos (left and right).  The basket measures 30cm (12 inches) square.

Platycerium alcicorne prefers to stay damp, but not wet.  If watered too often the plant will deteriorate and die.  And despite popular belief, it likes the sun, just not direct hot sunlight.  The brighter the light the faster the plant grows.  Found in tropical Australia, Indonesia and on the island of Madagascar, P. alcicorne is one of several popular species grown by collectors.  Our plant is "popular" with several of our green tree frogs.