Near my home is a large hillside that is festooned with maidenhair fern. It is the understory to mixed hardwood trees. I pass by it every day and I always turn my eyes to the lush shroud of ethereal green fernery and imagine wondrous things are happening under that verdant cloak.
In my world, this particular fern has no equal. It possesses delicate fronds that are roughly 20 inches tall, atop dark, shiny stems. In early spring, wine red fiddleheads appear. I get excited when I see the fronds arise in clusters from the creeping rootstock. The feather-like fronds open horizontally in a nearly perfect circle, not unlike a dinner plate. No other native fern possesses this unique fan-like pinnate pattern.
The roots are black and wiry and colonize in rich, moist, acidic, well-drained soils. Perennial in nature, they prefer cool forests or semi-shaded areas and especially enjoy northern exposures. Rocky seeps and springs are favorite locations. They stand quite well in driving rain, which seems to bounce right off them. This is a good quality to have in the forest, and in the garden, and in nearly every station of life — as one must stand tall and firm in the deluge that comes. Toads and frogs and all sorts of little creatures thrive in the undercover of these ferns, promising bounteous expeditions into the wild.
Hardy in zones 4 to 8, this American native plant is a good bet for the home shade garden. It has low drought tolerance, though. Copious amounts of added humus will hold water in the soil. This stunning fern looks wonderful planted with heuchera. I really like the green leafed varieties that have dark purple veins for contrast. Heuchera “green spice” might be my all-time favorite as it is tough and looks great all season. The canopy of the heuchera helps to keep the soil moist and the roots of the ferns protected. I have great success putting an inch of good compost on top of these plants in the fall as a mulch. The following robust season is always a rich reward for such a small chore.
Once you have some of this fern in your garden, undoubtedly, you will want more of it. It is not hard to make more plants by rhizome division in early spring, or in late fall from spores. It is best to divide the roots during fiddlehead stage. The roots are shallow and it is easy to scoop up a batch and shift to any spot desired. Nestle it down into a well-softened and composted area and water every few days, gently but thoroughly, until you see that it is established. Frankly, I transplant most anything, any time, but am extremely diligent when I choose an off-time transplanting.
If the transplant opportunity is missed, I recommend waiting until the spores mature in late summer and fall. This season is now fast upon us. Growing from spores is fun, easy and will yield an ungodly amount of progeny, resulting in making one feel like the scientific propagator supreme (my favorite alter ego). To do this, collect several mature fern fronds. You will see little capsules on the underside. These capsules contain the spores. Tap the spores onto sterile potting mix, then mist with water and keep covered with a clear plastic lid (finally, here is a great use for all of those little plastic berry boxes).
Keep them over the winter in a cool place away from direct light. Keep them moist but not soggy. Transplant into the garden on 1-foot centers in the early spring where they are to grow. For those who truly wish to know more about this process, the American Fern Society website is a great resource: amerfernsoc.org.
The maidenhair fern is much admired for its tough delicacy. I have no doubt that once a person has grown this particular fern that regard for other ferns may be set aside. I am a convert now to a few more fern species because the maidenhair fern turned me into a believer.
Ferns offer a quality and feel in a garden space that cannot be obtained any other way. Ferns are not created equal, so carefully educate yourself about which ferns to use in your gardens. There are differing textures, heights and aggressiveness qualities to choose from. Aggressive ferns are great for bank holding, but not for the charming wee shade garden. There are so many garden connoisseur ferns out there and they have such a useful place in our shade and semi-shade gardens. Certainly, there is a fern that will resonate for you.
Liz Krieg is a horticulturalist and garden writer. She lives in Bethel.