Ferns are Cool To Grow in Garden

Monday, June 6th, 2011 at 9:51 pm

Ferns are cool. Take advantage of the uniqueness that the native ferns offer. Ferns (especially the native varieties) easily acclimate to most gardens and survive even harsh winters.

The Red Fern grows with elegance in your garden. One variety in particular is Blechnum spicant (deer fern). It is smaller than a sword fern but still evergreen. The fronds are more rounded than a sword fern. It will grow to about 24 inches in the shade when well-watered; or in light sun – but it will stay smaller.

seeing a giant sword fern in the wild, but for a garden, where space is limited and native plants are your preference, this is a perfect fit.

Adiantum pedatum (maidenhair fern) is another native fern along coastal regions. It is very delicate as it grows on thin black stems to about 12 inches before the canopy opens up. Moist soil is preferred as long as it drains well. It is deciduous, so you won’t see any foliage in the winter, but once the temperature rises in spring the new fiddleheads will start to push out in a soft pink color. Protect it from high winds, due to its delicate stems.

Polypodium polypody (leathery leaf fern) is also a native fern. This fern has a waxy texture and grows on bluffs along the coastlines and oceanside forests. It may take almost a year to get it to a full size in a quart-size container. But once mature, it was worth the wait. There are other polypodium varieties, but this one is much more compact, and keeps it color much better.

Remember that ferns that are hardy here prefer the shade. Some will grow in sunnier conditions. Filtered light would be best.