Close-up of bright green Asplenium 'Osaka' fronds with deeply wavy edges

Compact Asplenium 'Osaka' with wavy upright fronds in a terracotta pot

Side view of Asplenium 'Osaka' with long arching crinkled fronds

Three Asplenium 'Osaka' ferns with wavy green fronds

Front view of Asplenium 'Osaka' forming a symmetrical ruffled rosette

Young Asplenium 'Osaka' with upright ruffled fronds in a terracotta pot

Close-up of overlapping Asplenium 'Osaka' fronds with ruffled margins

Aspleniaceae

Asplenium antiquum ‘Osaka’

Bird's Nest Fern

Pet Friendly5 for 4

Long glossy green fronds with strongly ruffled edges rise from the centre in a dense rosette. The outer fronds keep their wavy shape around the fresh centre growth, making the nest fuller as the plant matures.

Read full guide to Asplenium antiquum ‘Osaka’

€10,75

VAT included · plus

Choose a size

M Pot Ø 12 cm · approx. 20 cm tall L Pot Ø 17 cm · approx. 35 cm tall Sold out

Variant

Sizes are approximate. Height is measured from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant; diameter at the widest point.

4.6/5 store rating · 20,000+ customers served

Hand-checked before shipping

28-day plant guarantee

Tracked shipping

Care at a glance

Asplenium antiquum ‘Osaka’

Light

Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux

Watering

Water when ~20–35% dry

Substrate

Moisture-retentive but aerated • Evenly moist • Organic-leaning • Fine-medium

Temperature

Ideal: 16–25 °C • Avoid below: 15 °C

Humidity

Elevated 50–60%

Growth habit

Rosette-forming epiphytic fern.

Support

not needed

Growth speed

Average

Cultivated size guide

Height: 60 cm • Spread: 60 cm

Toxicity & safety

Non-toxic

Origin & habitat

Japanese horticultural Asplenium cultivar; species placement unresolved between Asplenium antiquum and Asplenium nidus

Outdoor growing

Outside from 12 °C · sheltered from wind

How to read these values

These care values give practical guidance for growing the plant. Adjust care for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.

For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.

Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.

Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
Growth speed: expected pace under suitable growing conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.

Cultivated size guide: approximate dimensions for an established plant in the stated growing context. Height is measured upwards from the growing surface; foliage height excludes flower stems. Trailing length follows a stem, while foliage drop is the vertical distance from the crown to the lowest leaf tips. Spread is the width of the leafy plant or crown, not an individual leaf. Flowering height includes the flower stems. A container guide applies to pot-grown plants; an in-ground guide applies to plants rooted in the ground. Size also depends on age, conditions, pot space and training.

These figures do not describe the size supplied and are not fixed upper limits.

Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.

Asplenium antiquum ‘Osaka’

New fronds emerge from the centre and become more ruffled as they open. The outer fronds keep their wavy shape around the fresh centre growth, making the nest fuller over successive flushes.

The mature look of Asplenium antiquum ‘Osaka’

Ruffled edges: Long strap-like fronds develop repeated waves along their edges.
Rosette shape: The plant forms one broad nest of upright centre growth and arching mature fronds.
Frond shape: Each frond remains undivided, which keeps the ruffled edge prominent.
Central vein: A rounded central vein gives each frond a strong line from base to tip.
Spore markings: Brown lines can develop underneath older fronds; this is a normal part of the fern’s life cycle.

Origin & background

Origin of Asplenium antiquum ‘Osaka’

‘Osaka’ is a cultivated bird’s-nest fern selection sold under Asplenium antiquum. The species is native to subtropical East Asia, including south-eastern China, Japan, Korea, the Nansei Islands and Taiwan.

Plant care

Growing Asplenium antiquum ‘Osaka’ indoors

Light: Give ‘Osaka’ bright indirect light or light shade.
Temperature and humidity: Maintain roughly 16–25 °C. If the temperature approaches 15 °C, move it into a warmer part of the room. A 60–80% humidity range suits it.
Watering: Water thoroughly when the top layer starts to dry, pouring around the rosette and letting the pot drain fully.
Centre: Keep the rosette centre clear. Pour around it so moisture on the crown can dry between waterings.
Potting mix: Use a loose fern mix with organic matter and coarse grit or perlite.
Feeding: While the centre is producing fresh fronds, give a half-strength liquid feed about once a month.
Cleaning: Support a frond from underneath and wipe dust away gently with a soft damp cloth.
Slower growth: If the centre produces fewer fronds in dimmer conditions, allow more time between waterings, still watering when the upper layer starts to dry. Pause feeding until fresh fronds return.
Repotting: When the root ball fills the container, increase pot size only a little. Replace dense, slow-draining mix without increasing pot size when roots still have room.
Propagation: You can grow new plants from spores in warm, humid conditions.

Issues & solutions

When Asplenium antiquum ‘Osaka’ starts to decline

Ruffled edges becoming brown: Dry air, mineral-rich water or uneven watering can brown the ruffled edges. Water more evenly, raise humidity if the air is dry and use softer water if mineral deposits build up on the mix.
Repeatedly undersized or distorted new fronds: Low light, uneven watering or damage in the centre can distort new fronds. Check these conditions, correct any problem you find and watch how the next frond develops.
Fixed bumps or sticky residue in the folds: Scale may be present. Examine the wavy edges, central veins and centre closely, then isolate the fern and apply a product labelled for scale on ornamental ferns. Repeat as directed on the label.
A soft centre or failing roots: The centre holds the fern's growing point. Check whether fallen debris is merely caught between fronds or living tissue is genuinely soft and collapsing. Remove loose debris gently, keep water from pooling in the crown and improve drainage. Do not cut into the central growing point: this may kill a single-crown fern. If roots are mushy or falling apart, remove only those roots with clean scissors, keep firm roots intact and repot at the same depth in airy mix. Seek specialist advice if the centre itself is decaying.

Safety

Asplenium antiquum ‘Osaka’ is non-toxic to cats and dogs

This plant is non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Its effects on people are unclear, so keep it away from young children who may chew it.
Eating a large amount can still cause an upset stomach. Seek medical or veterinary advice if symptoms continue.

Names & etymology

Where does the name Asplenium antiquum come from?

Asplenium comes from the old Greek name asplenon, linked with splen, spleen. The Latin epithet antiquum means old or ancient.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Asplenium in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 1078.

Tomitarô Makino first described Asplenium antiquum in 1929 in Journal of Japanese Botany, volume 6, page 32.

Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.

Asplenium antiquum ‘Osaka’

€10,75