Ferns - Exploring Gardens

Family - Polypodiaceae

Useful but under utilized, practical plants, requiring very little maintenance. Textures that few other plants provide.

	Adiantum aleuticum (pedatum) Zone 4. North America. Maidenhair Fern. Height 60cm. Space 70cm. Shade. One of the most ornamental ferns around, used by many landscapers to add soft textures in garden design. Excellent companion to large Hosta. Delicate wire like black stems with soft olive green leaflets arranged like fish scales into a fan. Prefers moist soils or humid locations such as stream banks. Deciduous.
	Asplenium scolopendrium 'Crested' Zone 6. Height 10cm. Space 40cm. Shade to semi-shade. An evergreen creeper found in alpine areas growing between rocks. Prefers alkaline soils. Dark green foliage grows in rosettes with neatly crested tips with dark almost black stalks.. This one is selected for its uniformity in cresting making it look very tidy not slug eaten.
	Asplenium trichomanes Zone 5. Worldwide. Maidenhair Spleenwort. Height 10cm. Space 40cm. Shade to semi-shade. An evergreen creeper found in alpine areas growing between rocks. Prefers alkaline soils. Foliage grows in neat rosettes dark green in colouring with dark almost black stalks.
	Asplenosorus ebenoides (Asplenium) Zone 5. Hybrid of Asplenium platyneuron X Camptsforus rhizophyllus, both native to Eastern U.S.A.. Scott's Spleenwort, Dragontail Fern. Height 30cm. Space 50cm. Shade to semi-shade. Glossy, evergreen, coarsely toothed fronds resembling a Dragons Tail. Excellent for small garden or shady rookeries. Prefers neutral to alkaline soil.
	Athyrium filix-femina 'Frizelliae' Zone 3. Tatting Fern. Height 30cm. Shade. An incredible and irresistable fern. Each frond is only 2.5cm. wide with the individual leaflets being fan shaped held tightly around the stalk. A definate conversation piece, ideal for container use.
	Athyrium filix-femina 'Vernoniae Cristatum' Zone 4. North America, Europe. Crested Lady Fern. Height 70cm. Space 80cm. During the Victorian era ferns were all the rage with crested and feathered ferns the most popular. This is one of the few selections from the wild that has survived from that period. Deciduous, apple-green foliage which looks very dainty. The tips flair out and are tasseled. Easy to grow.
	Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum' (goeringianum) Zone 4. Japan, China, Korea. Japanese Painted Fern. Height 40cm. Space 50cm. Shade. Has to be the most popular fern. Silver flushed sea green foliage with red stems. Deciduous. Not a rapid grower but will produce new fronds all summer long! Excellent with Hosta. AGM
	Blechnum spicant Zone 5. Europe, Asia, N.W. America. Deer Fern. Height 15cm. Space 60cm. Sun to shade. Elegant evergreen fern perfect for the average garden. Tough plant can be used in difficult situation such as under cedars or in deep shade can tolerate drought. Like a miniature Sword fern put with rounded fronds. Fertile fronds emerge from the center in mid summer and are black in colour, quite a striking feature.
	Dryopteris X complexa Zone 4. Hybrid of D. affinis and D. filix-mas. Robust Male Fern. Height 1.2M. Space 1.2M. Shade to semi-shade. Has to the most adaptable and robust fern for landscape purposes. Foliage is bold and slightly ruffled, a two tone effect to foliage makes it look fresh all season long (middles are deeper green than tips). Recommended. Semi-evergreen.
	Dryopteris affinis 'Congesta Cristata' Zone 4. Height 20cm. Space 20cm. A dwarf Fern suitable for containers, rookeries or small gardens. Good companions are the small Hosta, Viola or other tiny woodland inhabitants. Very tightly congested fronds with the apex heavily crested. Grows in a low wide bowl fashion. Extremely slow to grow. Shade to semi-shade
	Dryopteris affinis 'Cristata Angustata' Zone 4. Narrow Crested Golden-scaled Male Fern. Height 60cm. Space 60cm. Shade to semi-shade. Narrow rich grass green fronds crested and ruffled at tips. Semi-evergreen. Very unusual fern which is considered "one of the elect royalty" by the English.
	Dryopteris affinis ssp. affinis Zone 4. Europe. Golden-scaled Male Fern. Height 70cm. 1M. Shade to semi-shade. A large robust landscape fern, deep green fronds. Very neat grower. Semi-evergreen. Great as a filler even in difficult shade conditions but can even tolerate evening sun!
	Dryopteris crassirhizoma Zone 5. Asia. Thick-stemmed Wood Fern. Height 60cm. Space 45cm. An architectural fern, forming a large central crown with the fronds rising from the sides of the crown. Semi-evergreen, fronds drop to ground after first frost, but remain green.
	Dryopteris cycadina (atrata) Zone 5. India, Japan, China. Shaggy Shield Fern. Height 50cm. Space 60cm. Shade to semi-shade. A coarse textured glossy green, tough, evergreen fern. Fronds are very pointed and are held in a vase shape pattern. Prefers neutral to slightly acid soils. Distinctive black hairs are present along the back of the leaf stem.
	Dryopteris dilatata 'Lepidota Cristata' Zone 4. Height 45cm. Space 45cm. Crested Broad Buckler Fern. Long narrow fronds crested and ruffled at the tips. Mid to light green. A very delicate looking fern that is semi-evergreen. Mix with mid size Hosta or Brunnera.
	Dryopteris dilatata 'Recurvata' Zone 4. Garden origin. Weeping Broad Buckler Fern. Height 60cm. Space 60cm. Shade. Frond edges curl down making it look more fine textured than the others plus the tips curve down giving the overall plant a graceful weeping effect. Excellent near water features! Easy to grow. Semi-evergreen.
	Dryopteris erythrosora Zone 5. Japan, China, Korea. Autumn Fern. Height 45cm. Space 50cm. Shade to semi-shade. Excellent specimen fern with stunning copper and bronze new foliage that is produced all season long. Foliage darkens to deep glossy green. Evergreen. AGM.
	Dryopteris erythrosora var. prolifica Zone 6. Proliferous Autumn Fern. Height 40cm. Space 40cm. Shade to semi-shade. A very fine cutleaf form of the Autumn Fern. Spring foliage is a bronze orange colour going deep green by mid summer. In humid conditions will produce bulbils on the fronds. Use with edger size gold leaf Hosta.
	Dryopteris filix-mas 'Linearis Congesta' Zone 4. Dwarf Male Fern. Height.30cm. Space 30cm. Basically a compressed version of the standard male fern. Not crested just flat fronds, leaflets tightly meshed. A pretty small fern, tough and easy. Good for any small garden or container garden.
	Dryopteris filix-mas 'Linearis polydactyla' Zone 4. Garden origin. Ruffled Male Fern. Height 1M. Space 60cm. Shade. A very open and airy fern. Fronds are fairly narrow and each leaflet is crested at the tip. A specimen fern of grass-green colour. Use with deep green narrow leaf or mid-size Hosta also lovely interwoven with Polygonatum. Deciduous. Easy and fast to grow.
	Dryopteris remota Zone 4. Asia/Europe. Height 70cm. Space 70cm. A fertile hybrid of D. affinis and D. expansa. An excellent landscape fern of robust nature. Broad, grass green fronds with delicately cut blades. Semi-evergreen, shade to semi-shade.
	Dryopteris wallichiana Zone 6. Height 1M. Space 1M. India, China. Wallich's Wood Fern. Very large architectural, emerald-green fronds. Backs of black stems have rust and brown hairs. Tough foliage and stems, recommended for general landscape uses. New fronds have a bronze blush to them. Semi-Evergreen. AGM
	Gymnocarpium dryopteris 'Plumosum' Zone 3. North America. Plumose Oak Fern. Shade to semi-shade. Height 15cm. Creeping colonizer with dainty foliage resembling Maidenhair fern. Wiry stalks holding frothy green leaflets where raindrops pearl upon. Prefers a loose humus rich soil.
	Matteuccia struthiopteris Zone 3. North America. Ostrich Fern. Shade to semi-shade. Height 1.2M. Space 50cm. Apple-green fronds that resemble Ostrich plumes come up early in the spring. Rust coloured fertile fronds appear out of the center in summer reaching 1M in height. The plant requires damp soil all year round, and will suffer in drought. Prefers neutral to acid soils. Spreads underground by runners. .AGM
	Onoclea sensibilis Zone 3. N.America. Sensitive Fern. Height 40cm. Space 30cm. Shade to semi-shade in wet soils. Called the sensitive fern due to the fact it will go dormant at the first bit of cold weather or drought. The large leafy fronds add a tropical touch to the garden. They run underground by rhizomes and can form a nice groundcover in humus rich moisture retentive soils.
	Osmunda cinnamomea Zone 2. Eastern North America. Cinnamon Fern. Height 1M. Space 60cm. This fern looks similar to the Ostrich Fern only it has a couple of additional beautiful features. In early spring a large woolly lump emerges out of the ground , then out of this center the fertile fronds emerge to form the strongly upright cinnamon colored fronds which make this fern distinctive. The sterile or green fronds emerge after the fertile ones appear. Needs a fair amount of moisture to do well, especially if grown in ful l sun.
	Phyllitis scolopendrium (Asplenium) Zone 5. Europe, Asia, N.E. USA. Hart's Tongue Fern. Height 60cm. Space 50cm. Shade loving. A conversation piece as many people do not think it is a fern. The fern fronds are glossy grass green and are wide "tongue" shaped. Prefers alkaline soil high in leaf mold. Slugs do like it. Evergreen. AGM
	Polypodium vulgare Zone 4. Europe, N. America, Asia. Common Polypody. Height 30cm. Shade to semi-shade. This fern found growing on Maple Trees is often called the Resurrection Fern for its ability to re-appear after a dry summer. Can be grown in hanging baskets on a loose organic rich mix (Maple bark is a good medium base). An epiphyte that has long runners, try growing this fern on stumps.
	Polystichum makinoi Zone 6. Makinoi's Holly Fern. Height 60cm. Space 60cm. Shade. A beautiful evergreen fern with olive green foliage that has a slight sheen to it. The edges of the fern foliage is serrated and the stalks are covered in chestnut coloured scales. Fronds resemble shiny dragon scales.
	Polystichum neolobatum Zone 6. Asia. Long-eared Holly Fern. Height 45cm. Space 45cm. This ferns debut at the VanDusen Gardens Flower Show was a hit! Evergreen, tough, compact size, deep "Glossy" grass green foliage in neat lance like fronds, are all excellent features of this fern . A #1 fern for the shade garden, complementing dwarf Polygonatum, Primula and Tiarella. Likes cool, damp climates.
	Polystichum polyblepharum Zone 6. Japan, Korea. Tassel Fern. Height 90cm. Space 1M. A very large coarse evergreen fern that serves as a good landscape fern, as a filler plant or a companion to large gold and chartreuse Hosta. Extremely shiny rich forest green foliage. New foliage starts off apple-green in color.
	Polystichum proliferum Zone 6. New Zealand/Australia. Height 60cm. Space 90cm. Upright arching shape, semi-evergreen fern. Broadly lance-shaped fronds of dark green colouring. The leaflets are triangular in shape giving this fern a fine texture but the fronds themselves are leathery.
	Polystichum setiferum Zone 5. Europe. Soft Shield Fern. Height 70cm. Space 60cm. Elegant apple green fronds held in a vase shape. Central stalk is rust in colour. Prefers shade in average garden soil, and a location that is somewhat sheltered from winds. Semi-evergreen.
	Thelypteris decursive-pinnata Zone 4. Japan. Japanese Beech Fern. Height 45cm. Space 30cm. A deciduous woodland fern that runs (not invasive though). Easy to grow with a very attractive upright clumping habit. Soft apple green foliage with a grey fuzzy cast to them.
	Woodwardia fimbriata Zone 8. West Coast North America. Giant Chain Fern. Height 1.5M. Space 1.5M. (in the wild reaches 3M). A dramatic architectural fern. Large arching fronds delicately cut coming out of a stout woody brown fuzzy crown. Evergreen, requiring a moist, protected site in the shade.

Ferns - Exploring Gardens

Family - Polypodiaceae

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