Blue Star Fern vs Kangaroo Fern
Identical care and both pet-safe. Blue star has blue-green finger-lobed fronds and hates soggy soil; kangaroo fern's are glossier and more deeply cut.
Kangaroo Fern rates 4/5 for humidity - group plants or run a humidifier in winter. Blue Star Fern rates 3/5, so normal household humidity works. Blue Star Fern originates in Americas; Kangaroo Fern in Australia. Matching the original habitat is the quickest way to guess what each one wants indoors.
What they share: both are pet-safe, both are rated easy, both want low to medium light, both take moderate watering and both stay medium.
Choose
Blue Star Fern if…
- ✓your home runs dry in winter and you will not add a humidifier
- ✓the look is what you are after: Blue-green wavy fronds. One of the easiest ferns to grow.
Choose
Kangaroo Fern if…
- ✓it will live in a bathroom, kitchen or a humidified room
- ✓the look is what you are after: Unusual long fronds with prominent veining. Easier than most ferns.
Blue Star Fern vs Kangaroo Fern: side by side
| Attribute |
Blue Star Fern
|
Kangaroo Fern
|
|---|---|---|
| Plant type | Fern | Fern |
| Difficulty | easy | easy |
| Light | ●●○○○ 2/5 Low to medium light |
●●○○○ 2/5 Low to medium light |
| Water | ●●●○○ 3/5 Moderate |
●●●○○ 3/5 Moderate |
| Humidity | ●●●○○ 3/5 Average |
●●●●○ 4/5 Above average |
| Pet safe | Safe | Safe |
| Mature size | Medium 30-90 cm (1-3 ft) |
Medium 30-90 cm (1-3 ft) |
| Growth rate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Air purifying | Yes | Yes |
| Native to | Americas | Australia |
Key differences between Blue Star Fern and Kangaroo Fern
Kangaroo Fern needs damper air
Kangaroo Fern rates 4/5 for humidity - group plants or run a humidifier in winter. Blue Star Fern rates 3/5, so normal household humidity works.
They come from different habitats
Blue Star Fern originates in Americas; Kangaroo Fern in Australia. Matching the original habitat is the quickest way to guess what each one wants indoors.
How to tell Blue Star Fern and Kangaroo Fern apart
Both are epiphytic ferns with leathery fronds that cope with ordinary room humidity better than most, and both are pet-safe. Blue star has blue-green, finger-lobed fronds; kangaroo fern's are glossier and more deeply cut. Blue star resents soggy soil the most of the two.
Care at a glance
Blue Star Fern
Phlebodium Aureum
Blue-green wavy fronds. One of the easiest ferns to grow.
Care in one line: Low to medium light, keep moist but not soggy.
Full Blue Star Fern care guide →
Kangaroo Fern
Microsorum Pustulatum, Kangaroo Paw Fern
Unusual long fronds with prominent veining. Easier than most ferns.
Care in one line: Low to medium light, keep moist, tolerates lower humidity.
Full Kangaroo Fern care guide →Blue Star Fern vs Kangaroo Fern: common questions
What is the difference between Blue Star Fern and Kangaroo Fern? +
Both are epiphytic ferns with leathery fronds that cope with ordinary room humidity better than most, and both are pet-safe. Blue star has blue-green, finger-lobed fronds; kangaroo fern's are glossier and more deeply cut. Blue star resents soggy soil the most of the two. On care, kangaroo Fern rates 4/5 for humidity - group plants or run a humidifier in winter. Blue Star Fern rates 3/5, so normal household humidity works.
Which is easier to care for, Blue Star Fern or Kangaroo Fern? +
Neither - both are rated easy. The practical difference is kangaroo fern needs damper air.
Is Blue Star Fern or Kangaroo Fern safe for cats and dogs? +
Both are safe. Blue Star Fern and Kangaroo Fern are each non-toxic to cats and dogs, so either works in a home with animals.
Which needs less light, Blue Star Fern or Kangaroo Fern? +
They are the same. Both score 2/5 for light, meaning fine a few metres back from a window.
Which needs more water, Blue Star Fern or Kangaroo Fern? +
Neither - both score 3/5. For each one, water when the top 2-3 cm is dry, roughly weekly.
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