About

This tufted fern produces a rosette of gracefully arching fronds, which are narrow and ovate in shape. The fronds feature crisp, sharply serrated segments that are either triangular or fan-shaped, creating a delicate, lace-like look.

About the genus

Athyrium comprises deciduous ferns characterized by their upright or spreading rhizomes, which support typically pinnate to tripinnate fronds that are often thin in texture. These ferns are particularly well-suited for shaded environments.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full shade, Partial shade
Soil type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Acid, Neutral
Soil moisture
Moist but well-drained
Aspect
North-facing, East-facing
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness
H6

Plant details

Plant type
Ferns
Habit
Bushy
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
0.1-0.5 metres
Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height
2-5 years
Suggested uses
Cottage and informal garden, Rock garden, City and courtyard gardens

Care notes

Cultivation
Easy to grow in fertile, moist neutral to acid soil, enriched with leaf mould or garden compost in a sheltered shady site
Pruning
Dead or damaged fronds may be removed as necessary
Propagation
Propagate by sowing spores (one of the few lady fern cultivars to largely come true from spores) in mid to late summer or by division in spring
Pest resistance
Generally pest-free outdoors
Disease resistance
Generally disease-free outdoors