Maidenhair Fern

Maidenhair Ferns are available in 2 sizes:

• Bare root tubers
• 4 inch pots 

Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum pedatum, are pretty and delicate. Maidenhair Fern's have wiry, purple-brown petioles and feathery, circular fronds that grow outward in a flat, fan-like position. Maidenhair Fern's are slow spreading and non-invasive ferns.

How to Grow: This fern plant remains attractive from spring to fall when planted in humus-rich, loose, well-drained soil that is kept moist at all times. Give them a cool site in part to full shade. Plants can be propagated by dividing the creeping rhizomes in early spring, just as they emerge. Rhizomes should be planted just below the surface.

Landscape uses: Maidenhair ferns add a delicate touch to the shade garden. Plant them with hostas, astilbes, fringed bleeding hearts, lungworts (Pulmonaria), toad lilies (Tricyrtis), and woodland wildflowers.

Planting and caring for bare root ferns, evergreen ferns and container ferns:

Fern plants grow mostly in lightly shaded to fully shaded areas. They prefer moist, rich humus soil with a slightly acid pH (5.3 to 5.5 pH range). Sphagnum peat moss is good to add to the soil for holding moisture and will add some acid to the soil as it decomposes. 

The hole should not only be large enough to hold the tuber, but allowing at least an inch or two from the top of the tuber to the top of the hole. The smaller ferns can be planted about 18 to 24 inches apart. The edible Ostrich ferns, Christmas ferns and Royal Ferns grow larger and should be planted no closer than 24 inches apart.