Himalayan maidenhair fern

Himalayan maidenhair fern: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, creeping fern 20–25 cm tall that slowly spreads by rhizomes into a carpet of 50 cm or more.

Fronds

Triangular, two to three times divided, with small fan-shaped leaflets; water beads off them.

Stalks

Thin, wiry and glossy black-brown, typical of maidenhair ferns.

Colour

Young fronds pink to bronze, then fresh to bluish green; they stay green in mild winters.

Spores

Small clusters of spores under the turned-down edges of the leaflets; ferns do not flower.

Roots

Creeping, fairly shallow rhizomes that cover the ground well.

Plants: March–May and September–October · Pruning: March

Why grow it?

• One of the few truly hardy maidenhair ferns: a fine, graceful texture for the shade garden.
• Slowly forms a low, evergreen carpet: good ground cover under shrubs and trees.
• The pink-brown new fronds in April–May give a second season of interest alongside the fresh green summer foliage.
• Grows in acid, neutral or chalky soil, as long as it is humus-rich and moisture-retentive.
• Little work: cutting away the old fronds once a year is enough.
• Lovely at the front of a shady border, between stones or in a wide, shallow pot.

Himalayan maidenhair fern: where does it grow best?

• Partial to full shade; morning sun is fine, but fierce midday sun scorches the fine fronds.
• Humus-rich, loose soil: sand or loam, improved with leaf mould. Acid, neutral or chalky are all fine.
• Moist but well drained: no waterlogging in winter and no drying out in summer.
• A spot out of the wind keeps the fronds looking good, especially in winter.
• Plant 30–40 cm apart; the carpet closes up after a few years.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.25 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Hosta: Large leaves beside the fine fern fronds, in the same partial shade.
• Barrenwort: Another low, evergreen ground cover for shade.
• Hellebore: Flowers in late winter, around the time you cut back the old fern fronds.
• Snowdrop: Flowers early through the carpet, before the new fronds unfurl.
• Siberian bugloss: Sky-blue flowers in April above the pink-brown young fronds.

Himalayan maidenhair fern: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant from March to May or in September–October, when the soil is not frozen or too dry.
2. Loosen the soil and work in a few spadefuls of leaf mould or well-rotted compost.
3. Dig a hole slightly wider than the pot and set the plant at the same depth as before: the rhizome just below or at the surface, no deeper.
4. Leave 30–40 cm between plants and firm the soil gently.
5. Water well straight away and keep the soil moist for the first few weeks.
6. Spread a thin layer of leaf mould between the plants as a mulch.

Care

Water

In the first year, water weekly in dry spells. After that only in long dry periods; the soil should never dry out completely.

Feeding

Little needed: a thin layer of leaf mould or well-rotted compost in spring is enough. No chemical fertiliser.

Mulching

Leave fallen tree leaves among the fern or spread leaf mould yourself: it keeps the soil loose and moist.

Old fronds

Cut away the old, winter-worn fronds in March, before the new ones unfurl.

Weeding

Weed between the young plants until the carpet has closed.

In a pot

Humus-rich potting compost with some sand, a drainage hole, and never let it dry out.

Tip: Cut the old fronds away completely in March, even if they are still green: the pink-brown new fronds then show off best and the carpet stays fresh.

Himalayan maidenhair fern: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: In March, just before the new pink-brown fronds appear. Otherwise this fern needs no pruning.

How:

• Cut the old fronds off just above the ground, even if they are still green: you then see the new fronds unfurl nicely.
• Work carefully and do not cut into the young, coiled fiddleheads already sitting among the old fronds.
• Brown or damaged fronds can also be removed during the summer.

Caution: Do not wait too long: once the new fronds have unfurled, it is easy to cut them off by mistake.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April, cut off a piece of the carpet with rhizome and roots and replant it straight away. Water well.

Spores

In summer, collect ripe spores on a sheet of paper and sow them on sterile, moist seed compost under glass. It takes patience: small ferns appear only after several months.

Himalayan maidenhair fern: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Hardy to about −25 °C: no protection needed in Belgian gardens.
• In mild winters the fronds stay green; after hard frost they turn brown, but the plant simply regrows in spring.
• Leave the old fronds until March: they protect the rhizome and the young buds.
• In a pot: stand it sheltered against a wall and keep the compost slightly moist, not wet.

Diseases and pests

• Scorched fronds: Brown, dry frond edges in summer: too much sun or too dry. Water and choose a shadier spot.
• Late frost: The young pink fronds can be frosted in April–May. The plant regrows; cover with fleece when frost is forecast.
• Slugs: Sometimes eat the young fiddleheads in spring. Pick them off in the evening, or lay down a board as a hiding place and clear it in the morning.
• Root rot: Yellow, limp plant in wet, compacted soil. Improve the soil with compost and grit, or move the plant to a better-drained spot.

Through the year

• March: Cut away old fronds. Spread leaf mould.
• April: New pink-brown fronds. Plant or divide. Watch out for late frost.
• May: Plant. Keep an eye on slugs.
• June: Water in dry spells.
• July: Water in dry spells. Collect ripe spores.
• August: Water in dry spells. Remove brown fronds.
• September: Plant. Leave fallen leaves among the fern.
• October: Plant. Apply mulch.
• December: Rest. In mild winters the fronds stay green.

Did you know?

• The genus name Adiantum comes from the Greek ‘adiantos’, unwetted: water beads off the fronds without wetting them.
• ‘Venustum’ is Latin for charming or graceful.
• Maidenhair ferns do not carry their spores in the middle of the frond, but under the turned-down edges of the leaflets.