Overview

Blechnum penna-marina is a matforming ferns in the genus Blechnum, part of the Blechnaceae family, with evergreen foliage. It typically grows around 0.1-0.5 metres tall and 0.5-1 metres wide, reaching full size in around 5-10 years. Blechnum penna-marina grows best in full shade and partial shade, and tolerates loam and sand soils and acid and neutral pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H1a. Suggested uses include patio and container plants and sub-tropical.

About

Austroblechnum penna-marina, synonym Blechnum penna-marina, known as Antarctic hard-fern, Little Hard Fern, Alpine Hard Fern, alpine water fern and pinque (Chilean Spanish), is a species of fern in the family Blechnaceae. It is a widely distributed fern species in the southern hemisphere, with a natural range including New Zealand, Australia, and South America. It has wiry rhizomes and exhibits strong dimorphism in its fronds. The sterile fronds are prostrate or semi-erect, growing up to 400 mm in length, while the fertile fronds are longer and held erect. It grows to around 0.1-0.5 metres tall and 0.5-1 metres wide, carrying evergreen foliage. Grow it in full shade and partial shade and loam and sand soil. It tolerates acid and neutral soils, moist but well-drained, poorly-drained conditions and east-facing, south-facing and west-facing aspects.

Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Austroblechnum penna-marina

About the genus

Blechnum, known as hard fern, is a genus of ferns in the family Blechnaceae, subfamily Blechnoideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016. Two very different circumscriptions of the genus are used by different authors. In the PPG I system, based on Gasper et al.

Wikipedia contributors, "Blechnum", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Blechnum

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Blechnum

Sunlight

Full shade, Partial shade

Soil type

Loam, Sand

Soil pH

Acid, Neutral

Soil moisture

Moist but well-drained, Poorly-drained

Aspect

East-facing, South-facing, West-facing

Exposure

Exposed, Sheltered

UK hardiness

H1a

Plant details

Blechnum penna-marina size, habit and characteristics

Plant type

Ferns

Habit

Matforming

Foliage

Evergreen

Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Spread

0.5-1 metres

Time to full height

5-10 years

Suggested uses

Patio and container plants, Sub-tropical

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Blechnum penna-marina

Propagation

Spores in summer, division in spring

Pest resistance

Generally pest-free

Disease resistance

Generally disease-free

Frequently asked questions