Adiantum pedatum
Maidenhair fern
Common names: Northern maidenhair fern, Five-finger fern
At a glance
- Light
- Partial shade
- Pot size
- from 10 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Hardy down to −25 °C
- Water need
- Medium
Photo: Doug McGrady from Warwick, RI, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The Northern maidenhair fern, botanically Adiantum pedatum, belongs to the maidenhair fern genus and comes from deciduous forests of North America. Its distinctive feature is its frond shape: dark, almost black, glossy stalks divide at the top into two curved arms that carry delicate, light green leaflets like a fan or peacock wheel. The fronds sway even in a light breeze. The plant grows 30 to 60 cm tall, grows slowly and spreads only gradually via a creeping rhizome. In autumn the fronds turn yellow and die back. In the garden, the Northern maidenhair fern is a plant for cool, shady corners: under woody plants, at the edge of a shade bed, alongside hostas and foamflowers, or in a container on a north-facing terrace.
Care instructions
Plant the Northern maidenhair fern in April in a partly shaded to shaded, wind-sheltered spot where no midday sun reaches. The soil should be rich in humus, loose and evenly moist. Water regularly, especially in the first year and during dry periods, but avoid waterlogging that persists. Set the rhizome shallowly, with the frond bases just below the surface. New growth emerges late, often not until May. Be patient and keep watering before giving up on the plant. In February or March, cut off the old fronds. Typical mistakes include drought, midday sun, waterlogging and giving up too early. In a container, use a pot with a drainage hole and water regularly.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
humus-rich, moist, well-drained, nutrient-rich
The northern maidenhair fern grows best in loose, humus-rich soil that is evenly moist but free-draining, much like in a deciduous woodland. The soil may be slightly acidic to neutral. Waterlogging makes the thin roots rot, while drying out makes the fine fronds wilt quickly. On heavy soils, mix in sand and plenty of leaf compost; on sandy soils, add compost and leaf mould so that the soil holds water.
Feeding
Light feeder
Months
Apr
The northern maidenhair fern grows slowly and needs little. In April, lay a thin layer of mature leaf compost around the plant; this replaces what the woodland floor would otherwise provide. Avoid heavily fertilised soil. In a container, replace the top layer of soil with fresh, humus-rich soil every spring.
Overwintering
The northern maidenhair fern is hardy and dies back in autumn: the fronds turn yellow to brown and wither. Leave them standing over winter as protection and cover the plant with leaves in frost without snow cover. It sprouts late, often not until May. Remember the spot so that you do not tread or dig there by accident. In a container, place the pot against a sheltered wall, wrap it in horticultural fleece and water on frost-free days so the root ball does not dry out.
Propagation
Methods
- Division
- From seed
Divide the northern maidenhair fern in April, shortly before the new growth starts. The creeping rootstock branches only slowly: cut off a piece with several frond buds and plant it immediately in moist, humus-rich soil. Because the plant grows slowly, divide only large, dense plants and at most every few years. The spores sit under the rolled-back edges of the pinnules and ripen over the course of the summer. You can sow them on moist seed compost, but it takes several years before you have a presentable plant.
For your garden
Grow Maidenhair fern yourself
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