Lady Fern is a widely adaptable fern with an extensive native range. Best grown in rich, medium moisture, it tolerates dry soils better than many other ferns. It also tolerates some direct sunlight if the soil is moist. The large, finely textured fronds can reach 3’ in height …
Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina) is a widely adaptable fern with an extensive native range. Best grown in rich, medium moisture, it tolerates dry soils better than many other ferns. It also tolerates some direct sunlight if the soil is moist. The large, finely textured fronds can reach 3’ in height and retain good color throughout the summer. This fern combines well with Wild Ginger, Solomon’s Seal, and sedges in the shade garden. A setting that is sheltered from wind will help to protect fronds from breaking. Lady Fern spreads by rhizome and forms small colonies, but it is not aggressive and somewhat slow to naturalize. Divide clumps in spring every few years to encourage quicker spread. A good candidate for wooded slopes to help control erosion.
Native plants can be grown outside of their native range in the appropriate growing conditions. This map shows the native range, as well as the introduced range, of this species.
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Planting ferns in the spring is most common, but they can be planted at any time during the growing season, and that includes fall planting. If planted in spring, make sure to keep them consistently moist, but not over-watered, during their first season. A site that is protected from the wind also helps ferns establish quickly. If planted in the fall they should be installed in the ground at least 6 weeks before the ground freezes. This is important because it gives the newly planted ferns enough time to root-in before the ground freezes. Fall planted ferns may die-back quickly as they head into a dormant stage, but that does not mean they are dead. In the fall, new transplants typically take less water than in the spring, but still should have the soil moisture checked regularly to make sure it is not drying out completely. In fall you might want to use a marker/ or tag, in the soil to identify the place where you planted them.
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