Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Touch the moss or mounting medium to see if it feels bone dry.
- Inspect the base of the fronds for any signs of rot or mushiness.
- Check the humidity levels in your room.
Likely causes
Severe dehydration
Most likelyHow to tell: The fronds turn brittle, brown, and fall off easily when touched.
What to do: Submerge the entire mount in a bowl of room temperature water for 15 to 20 minutes. Ensure the roots are fully saturated before hanging it back up.
Root rot
PossibleHow to tell: The base of the fronds turns mushy or black, and the plant smells musty.
What to do: Remove the plant from its mount and trim away any black or slimy roots. Reattach the fern to a fresh, clean mount with a small amount of damp sphagnum moss.
Find out what's wrong with your resurrection fern
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
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When to worry
If the entire plant is shedding fronds rapidly, it is in critical condition. It is normal for the oldest, lowest fronds to occasionally brown and fall off as the plant grows.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the mounting medium consistently moist but not dripping wet. Mist the plant daily to maintain high humidity around the fronds.
Resurrection fern: leaf drop? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your resurrection fern and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
Get the app · Or check it from a photo now, free
Questions people ask
- Will my fern grow back if it loses all its fronds?
- If the rhizome is still firm and green, it can recover. Keep it in a humid, bright spot and continue to provide light moisture.
- How often should I soak my fern?
- Soak it whenever the fronds begin to curl or the moss feels dry to the touch, which is usually every 2 to 7 days.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Resurrection fern
- Why are my resurrection fern leaves curling up?
- What are these brown bumps on my resurrection fern?
- Why is my resurrection fern looking mushy?
- Why are my resurrection fern's leaves turning yellow?
- Why are my resurrection fern's tips turning brown?
- Why is my resurrection fern drooping?
- Why is my resurrection fern looking thin and leggy?
Back to the Resurrection fern guide
This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.