Polystichum setiferum
Soft Shield Fern
Common names: Bristle Fern, Soft Shield-fern
At a glance
- Light
- Shade
- Pot size
- from 15 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Hardy down to −20 °C
- Water need
- Medium
- Origin
- Native to Germany
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The soft shield fern, botanically Polystichum setiferum, forms stately funnel-shaped rosettes of fronds. The soft, glossy dark green fronds are bipinnate, grow 50 to 100 cm long, and arch gracefully outward. In mild winters they stay green, and in spring new fronds unfurl from the centre. In the wild, the fern grows in the mild, rain-rich parts of Europe, in shady gorge forests and on old walls; in Germany it is rare. Buy plants from a nursery and leave natural habitats undisturbed. In the garden it adds structure to shade beds, under woody plants, and in large containers. Alongside hostas, barrenworts, or foamflowers, it fills gaps and provides greenery in mild winters.
Care instructions
Plant the soft shield fern in a shady to partly shaded, wind-sheltered spot without harsh midday sun. The soil should be loose, humus-rich, and evenly fresh. Plant it in April or September so that the centre of the rosette sits above the soil, and water regularly in the first year. Later it manages with normal rainfall; during long dry periods, water thoroughly. A mulch layer of fallen leaves helps retain soil moisture. No pruning is needed; only remove old, brown fronds at ground level in February or March, before the new ones appear. Common mistakes are waterlogging, summer drought stress, and a sunny, windy site, where the fronds turn brown. In a container, use a pot at least 30 cm in diameter and water regularly.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
humus-rich, well-drained, moist, nutrient-rich
The soft shield fern grows best in loose, humus-rich soil that stays evenly fresh to moderately moist. It likes leaf mould and mature compost and copes with slightly acidic to neutral, even slightly chalky soil. It is important that excess water can drain away: waterlogging makes the roots rot, and long dry spells turn the fronds brown. On heavy loam, mix in sand and leaf mould; on sandy soil, plenty of compost.
Feeding
Light feeder
Months
Apr
The soft shield fern gets by with few nutrients. In spring, lay a thin layer of leaf compost around the plant; that is enough as food and also keeps the soil moist. You do not need additional fertiliser in the bed. In a container, replace the top layer of soil each spring with fresh soil mixed with compost.
Overwintering
The soft shield fern is hardy and stays green in mild winters. In hard winters some fronds turn brown, but the rootstock survives and shoots again in spring. A layer of fallen leaves over the root area protects against frost on bare ground. Cut off old, brown fronds in February or March. In a container, place the pot against a sheltered house 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
- Offsets
In April, when the new fronds are just unrolling, you can divide large clumps with a spade. Each piece needs roots of its own and several frond buds. Replant the pieces straight away and keep them moist. Some garden forms produce small bulbils along the frond midrib: lay such a frond on moist seed compost and keep it moist until small young plants appear. Spores can also be sown, but that takes a lot of patience, and the seedlings do not always resemble the mother plant.
For your garden
Grow Soft Shield Fern yourself
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