Lady fern 'Lady in Red'

Sun

Partial to full shade; gentle morning sun is suitable where the soil stays moist. Avoid hot afternoon sun.

Water

Keep evenly moist, especially during establishment and hot weather. Avoid prolonged drought and stagnant, waterlogged soil.

Soil

Humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil; slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal.

Height

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Foliage

Lacy, finely divided light green fronds with red to burgundy stalks and central ribs; dies back in autumn.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

3. After 2 years

   2 ft (0.6 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.5 ft (0.75 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Native to

the US, Canada and the UK

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply when the soil surface begins to dry; do not let newly planted crowns dry out.
• Mulch annually with leaf mould or compost, keeping the crown uncovered.
• Top-dress with compost in spring; rich soil usually needs no additional fertiliser.
• Shelter from strong winds, which can tear or flatten the fronds.
• Divide crowded clumps in early spring, just as new growth begins.

Pruning. Leave fading fronds until they collapse, then cut them close to the ground in late autumn or late winter. Finish before the new spring fiddleheads emerge, taking care not to damage the crown.

Late winter

Remove remaining dead fronds before new growth appears.

Early spring

Plant or divide clumps and water them in thoroughly.

Spring

Spread leaf mould or compost around, but not over, the crowns.

Summer

Check soil moisture regularly and water during dry spells.

Autumn

Let the foliage die back naturally and remove any diseased material.

• Plant in groups beneath deciduous trees where roots will not leave the soil too dry.
• Combine with broad-leaved hostas or brunneras to contrast fine and bold foliage.
• Use beside a shaded path where the red stalks can be seen at close range.
• Plant along a moist pond margin above the permanently saturated soil.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Japanese, Cottage garden, Secret garden, Green on green and Pacific Northwest woodland.

Plant it with: Hosta, Siberian bugloss, Astilbe, Barrenwort, Solomon's seal and Japanese forest grass.

Wildlife: Clumps provide cool shelter for small invertebrates and amphibians. Ferns do not produce nectar or pollen.

• Brown, crisp frond edges usually indicate drought, hot sun or drying wind; water thoroughly, renew mulch and provide more shelter or shade.
• Slugs and snails may damage emerging fronds; inspect young growth and remove pests by hand or use an approved iron-phosphate bait as directed.
• Crown rot can develop in stagnant, waterlogged soil; improve drainage and avoid burying the crown.
• Late frost can blacken emerging fronds; remove damaged growth after frost risk passes and protect new shoots with horticultural fleece when frost is forecast.

Do not eat the fronds, fiddleheads or rhizomes: lady fern contains potentially harmful compounds, particularly when raw. The severity of poisoning and the specific risks to cats, dogs and horses are not well documented, so keep it out of grazing areas and discourage pets from chewing it.

• Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum)

  Usually shorter, with conspicuous silver-grey markings and purple tones across the frond blades rather than mostly green blades on red stalks.

• Lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina)

  The ordinary species has the same finely divided fronds, but stalk colour varies from green to reddish and is less consistently burgundy; appearance alone may not confirm the cultivar.

• Male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)

  Has sturdier, less finely divided fronds and more conspicuously scaly stalks, without the characteristic red stalk display.

The species name filix-femina means 'female fern', reflecting the old contrast between its delicate fronds and the coarser male fern, while 'Lady in Red' refers to its red stalks.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in early spring, keeping healthy roots and at least one growing point on each section. Division preserves the cultivar; plants raised from spores may not retain its red-stemmed characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Athyrium filix-femina

In the US and Canada

Native in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Native range

Albania, Algeria, Altay, Arizona, Austria, Azores, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria and Buryatiya.

Measured

Soil pH 4.5 to 7. Average height 65 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.