Maidenhair spleenwort

Sun

Partial to full shade; tolerates gentle morning sun where the roots stay cool and moist.

Water

Keep evenly moist while establishing. Established plants tolerate short dry spells in sheltered crevices, but not prolonged drying or waterlogged soil.

Soil

Humus-rich, gritty, freely draining soil or rock crevices. Soil reaction preferences vary among subspecies; some favour limestone and mortar, while others grow on acidic rock.

Height

0.25-0.75 ft (0.08-0.23 m)

Spread

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Foliage

Narrow, arching fronds with small, rounded to oval green leaflets arranged along dark brown or black stalks. Usually evergreen, though exposed fronds may deteriorate in severe winters.

Growth

Slow

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

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

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

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

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.16 m)

   full size

About 5 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

Safe

Native to

the US, Canada and the UK

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant with the crown at the soil surface, in a sheltered position out of strong afternoon sun.
• Water during establishment and prolonged dry weather, allowing excess water to drain freely.
• Add a light dressing of leaf mould around the plant in spring without covering the crown.
• Avoid heavy feeding; a little fresh leaf mould is usually sufficient.
• Keep fallen leaves from accumulating over the crown.

Pruning. In early spring, snip off dead or badly damaged fronds at their bases before new growth expands. Leave healthy green fronds in place.

Early spring

Remove dead fronds and clear debris from around the crown.

Spring

Plant nursery-grown specimens in shaded, freely draining crevices or woodland soil.

Late spring

Apply a thin dressing of leaf mould around established plants.

Summer

Check plants in walls and containers during dry spells; water the root zone before it dries completely.

Autumn

Plant in mild districts while the soil remains warm, and keep newly planted ferns moist.

Winter

Check that drainage remains open and remove wet leaves covering the crown.

• Tuck into shaded dry-stone wall joints for small evergreen accents.
• Plant between rocks in a shaded rock garden, where its fine fronds soften stone edges.
• Use beside mosses and other small ferns along sheltered woodland paths.
• Grow in a shallow, well-drained trough for close-up foliage detail.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Moss and fern garden, Alpine rock garden, Cottage garden, Secret garden and Small-space.

Plant it with: Hart's-tongue fern, Polypody, Hardy cyclamen, Snowdrops and Mossy saxifrage.

Wildlife: Dense fronds provide small sheltered spaces for invertebrates. It has no flowers, nectar or pollen for pollinators.

• Brown, crisp fronds usually indicate drought, hot sun or drying wind; water the root zone and provide more shade or shelter.
• Crown rot can develop in stagnant, wet soil; improve drainage and keep mulch away from the crown.
• Slugs and snails may damage emerging fronds; inspect during damp evenings and remove them by hand.
• Poor growth can follow planting in unsuitable rock or soil; check the plant's provenance before adding lime, as subspecies differ in their preferences.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No particular part is recognised as poisonous, but species-specific feeding information is limited; do not treat it as an edible plant.

• Green spleenwort (Asplenium viride)

  Its central frond stalk is green above the brownish base; maidenhair spleenwort has a dark stalk running through most or all of the frond.

• Maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris)

  It has branching fronds with fan-shaped leaflets, rather than narrow fronds with rounded leaflets in two rows.

• Wall-rue (Asplenium ruta-muraria)

  Its fronds are triangular and divided into small wedge-shaped segments, unlike the long, narrow fronds of maidenhair spleenwort.

The common name refers to its slender, dark stalks, which resemble those of maidenhair ferns.

Propagation. Propagate from ripe spores sown on a clean, moist growing medium under cover; young plants develop slowly. Established plants may occasionally produce self-sown sporelings in suitable crevices. Buy nursery-grown plants rather than collecting from wild walls or rocks.

Accepted botanical name

Asplenium trichomanes

In the US and Canada

Native in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Hawaii, Hawaii and the lower 48 states. Introduced in Hawaii.

Native range

Afghanistan, Alabama, Alaska, Albania, Alberta, Algeria, Altay, Arizona, Arkansas, Austria, Azores and Baleares.

Measured

Average height 19 cm.

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