About
Doryopteris pedata, the hand fern, is a neat, clumping, evergreen fern reaching 60 cm tall with deeply lobed, palmately divided fronds on wiry, black stems � the shorter, sterile fronds are palmately lobed while the fertile fronds are borne on taller stems with narrower lobes. An ornamental and architectural fern for a heated greenhouse or frost-free shaded garden.
About the genus
Doryopteris are evergreen ferns with distinctive, palmately or pinnately divided fronds on wiry, dark stems, native to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Ornamental ferns for warm, shaded greenhouse or frost-free garden conditions.
Growing conditions
SunlightPartial shade
Soil typeLoam
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectEast-facing, North-facing, South-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH1B
Plant details
Plant typeFerns, Conservatory Greenhouse, Houseplants
HabitClump forming
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesHouseplants, Patio and container plants
Native toAmericas
Care notes
CultivationGrow in an open, humus-rich compost in bright, filtered light with a minimum temperature of 15°C
PruningRemove dead or damaged fronds as required
PropagationPropagate from spores, or by division in late spring
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free