About
This deciduous fern with long, slender, spreading rhizomes and deeply divided fronds with pale green, scallop-edged segments, the leaf blades held horizontally on wiry, upright stems.
About the genus
Gymnocarpium are small deciduous ferns with a slender creeping rhizome, and much-divided, triangular to ovate fronds
Growing conditions
SunlightFull shade
Soil typeLoam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectWest-facing, North-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeFerns
HabitMatforming
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden
Care notes
CultivationGrow in neutral to acid, leafy, moist soil, enriched with garden compost, in deep shade. See how to grow ferns for further advice
PruningCut back in autumn as fronds fade
PropagationSow spores at 15°C (59°F) when ripe or divide in spring
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free