Spring is officially here! And today I’m celebrating by showing you how I made this DIY Mounted Staghorn Fern.

I know I’m a few years behind the mounted staghorn fern trend, but I still hope this tutorial is helpful. The reason I wanted to make and share this project with you is that I had signed up to take a class here in Pittsburgh to learn how to make one. Unfortunately, the class was canceled twice and never rescheduled. Whomp. Whomp. That’s why I decided to make a mounted staghorn fern on my own.

During the winter holidays, I hung a ceramic deer bust above the TV in my living room. I needed something to replace it, and this ended up being a fun solution. What do you think?

These staghorn ferns have gained popularity as a mounted plant because they look like horns. See what I mean?

While it’s certainly enough on its own, I may tweak or add to the design down the road. As it is, this mounted staghorn fern is an unexpected way to enliven a space with greenery for spring.

Mounted Staghorn Fern

For this project you will need:
A piece of wood or a wood tray
Sawtooth hanger
8 screws or nails with a head
Fishing line
Sheet moss
Staghorn fern plant
Screwdriver
Hammer

To start the project, get a piece of wood on which to mount the plant. I used this tray I picked up at HomeGoods. However, you could use a scrap of lumber, old barn wood, a log slice, or even an old cabinet door.

On the back of the wood, attach a hanging device. I find a sawtooth-style hanger to be the easiest to work with, but anything that will allow you to attach your finished piece to the wall will work.

Next, attach eight screws (or nails) in a circular shape on the front side of the wood. The placement of the circle is up to you. Just be sure to consider your overall design and the final location of your mounted fern.

As a guide for adding the screws, I recommend using a plate, bowl, or circle pattern you have made. Since I was going to mount a larger fern, I used a 6-inch diameter plate for my guide.

Space the eight screws evenly around your pattern. (As I mentioned, you can also use nails, but make sure they have a large flat head so the fishing line will not slip off.)

Once your board is prepared, you’ll want to get your plant ready. After you remove it from its container, use your hands to loosen the roots and break away any access soil. You can also trim the roots if needed.

Now add a thin layer of moss to the inside of the circle shape you created with the screws. Place the fern on top of the moss. When you do this, take into account the direction of the leaves, the best side of the plant, and where your hanger is on the back. (You don’t want to plant your fern upside down.)

Then, start to wrap the moss around the roots of the plant. You’ll want to completely cover all the roots and soil.

With everything covered, you’re ready to attach the fern to your board. To begin, secure one end of the fishing line onto one of the screws with a knot. Then work the line across the moss-covered roots, going from screw to screw to secure the plant to the wood. Continue to work back and forth in various directions between the screws. Pull the line tight to ensure everything is held firmly in place. Once secure, knot the fishing line on one of the screws to finish things off. To ensure full coverage, add additional moss as you work.

At this point, your project is almost complete. All you need to do is fluff the moss to hide any signs of the fishing line.

I also recommend watering your plant before hanging it on the wall. Allow any excess moisture to drip off before hanging. In between waterings, mist the plant and root ball with water to keep it moist.

To prevent possible moisture damage to your wall, leave a small space between your wall and the wood board. You can do this by affixing a few plastic/acrylic furniture floor protectors to the back of the mount.