Asplenium nidus 'Crispy Wave'

A bird's nest fern with stiff, glossy, bright green fronds. On 'Crispy Wave' the fronds are shorter than on the plain species and wavy along their whole length. They all grow from one point in the centre, in a rosette.

Water when the top centimetre of soil feels dry, and keep it lightly moist rather than wet. Pour the water onto the soil around the rosette, never into the centre, where it can rot. It copes with a dimmer spot, but grows best in bright, indirect light, out of direct sun. Keep it above 15 °C. It likes humid air, so a bathroom with a window suits it well.

Grows at a steady pace, with new fronds unrolling from the centre. They are soft at first, so don't touch them. Over the years it reaches about 50 cm across. Brown lines on the underside of older fronds are spores, not pests.

Native to the tropical forests of Asia, Australia and the Pacific islands, where it grows on trees and rocks. Non-toxic to cats and dogs. Ships in a 6 cm pot.