StaghornPal (also called Fern) is a free iOS app designed exclusively for staghorn fern collectors, offering photo growth timelines, dedicated plant profiles, lineage tracking, NFC tags, and care reminders in a single privacy-focused journal.
What is StaghornPal?
StaghornPal is a mobile app for Platycerium enthusiasts that turns your camera roll into a structured collection journal. It takes photos of your plants and their growth milestones as input, and produces dated growth timelines, lineage charts, and shareable long-images as output. The app runs on iOS (iPhone) and is developed independently; no company name is listed on the site.
Key Features
- Photo Growth Timeline — Snap a photo each month; Fern builds a dated timeline of every shield and antler, with before-and-after comparisons.
- Dedicated Plant Profiles — Each plant gets its own page with photo log, care history, and species info from an 18-species database.
- Lineage & NFC Tags — Map pup propagations from mother plant to offspring with a visual chart; write NFC tags that open a plant’s profile on tap.
- Unlimited Plants (Premium) — Free tier supports up to 10 plants; Premium unlocks unlimited entries and batch import.
- Batch Import & OCR — Add many plants at once, or scan a written label using OCR.
- Photo Collage & Long-Image Export — Build grids of your collection and export full timelines as one vertical image.
- Care Reminders & Health Log — Set watering, fertilizing, and status notes (e.g., “Healthy”, “Recovery”) with calendar view.
- Staghorn Q&A — Built-in forum for care questions.
- Dark Mode & Large Touch Targets — Designed for grow-tent use with high contrast and easy tapping.
Who Is It For?
- Staghorn collectors managing a growing collection (up to hundreds of plants) who want a single journal instead of a cluttered camera roll.
- Propagators tracking pups from mother plants, using the lineage chart to record divisions and generations.
- Hobbyists who need visual growth records to dial in care routines (humidity, lighting) and share results.
Use Cases
- Track a new pup’s growth: Snap a photo monthly; Fern builds a timeline you can export as a long image to share with fellow collectors.
- Build a family tree: Record each division date and parent-offspring relationship using the lineage chart; later add NFC tags to profiles for quick access.
- Manage a large collection: Batch-import plant names and photos, then filter by species or status (Healthy, Recovery) to spot issues.
Pricing
StaghornPal is freemium. The core app is free forever with no ads and no account required. Premium (subscription) unlocks unlimited plants, batch import, batch photo auto-recognition, and removes the share image watermark. A 20% off annual Premium code (FERNWEB) is available.
FAQ
Is it really free?
Yes — the core app is free on iOS with no ads, and you can start tracking without creating an account. Premium is optional.
Is my plant data private?
Yes. All photos and records stay on your device and in your private iCloud. The app never sees them and does not sell personal data.
Can I use it offline?
The app works on-device; iCloud sync requires internet. No account is needed for offline use.
Is there an Android version?
Not yet. Fern is iOS-only for now. The site asks users to join a newsletter for Android news.
How many species are supported?
18 species profiles are included in the built-in database.
