Microsorum thailandicum - Blue Oil Fern

Blue Oil Fern: A Shimmering Botanical Treasure

Add the Blue Oil Fern to your collection and you'll be adding a unique and slightly rare plant! The foliage of the Blue Oil Fern is brilliant, almost iridescent with a bluish-metallic sheen. The appearance is similar to an oil slick (without the environmental impact!) The bluish coloration is that unlike other plants in the fern world, which makes it stand out as a must-have to any plant collector. Bonus is that it is easy to grow and adapts to most growing environments. 

Blue Oil Fern Plant Profile

• Botanical Name: Microsorum thailandicum
• Common Name(s): Blue Oil Fern
  
• Family: Polypodiaceae
• Native Range: Thailand

Blue Oil Fern Care Guide

• Care Level: Moderate 
• Light: Bright, indirect light
• Water: Keep soil moist
• Humidity: Moderate to High
• Temperature: 60+F
• Pruning: Prune as needed to remove brown or dead leaves.
• Feeding: Fertilize using a general-purpose houseplant fertilizer every 2-3 months during spring and summer
• Propagation: Division when repotting
• Growth: bushy, upright
• Common Pests: mealybugs, scale - prevent with regular showering of the leaves 
• Toxicity: Non-toxic

Fun Fern Fact: A Fern That Shimmers!

Unlike most ferns, the Blue Oil Fern’s leaves appear almost holographic, thanks to a bluish shimmer that looks like an oil slick—without any of the mess! It's one of nature’s most eye-catching illusions.

Historical Spotlight: A Thai Native with Ancient Origins

Native to the tropical rainforests of Thailand, the Blue Oil Fern has been admired for centuries by local communities for its resilience and beauty. Ferns like this one have been around for over 360 million years, predating even dinosaurs!