Eared lady fern

Eared lady fern: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Compact, slightly arching clump about 50 cm tall and wide, which does not spread.

Fronds

Triangular to lance-shaped and finely divided, with small ear-like lobes at the base of the segments; yellow-green when young, later deeper green.

Stems

Wine-red to purplish red, like the midribs; they keep their colour all season.

Spores

Ferns do not flower; the spores sit in elongated clusters on the underside of the fronds.

Roots

Short, upright rhizome; the plant grows as a clump.

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

Why grow it?

• Colour without flowers: yellow-green fronds with wine-red stems in the shade.
• Compact and neat, also suitable for a smaller shade garden or a large pot.
• Tolerates more moisture than many other ferns: good for a wet, shady corner.
• Fully hardy and rarely troubled by disease.
• A calm, attractive companion for hostas and other shade plants.

Eared lady fern: where does it grow best?

• Part shade or shade; fierce midday sun scorches the fronds.
• Soil rich in humus: sand, loam or clay with plenty of leaf mould, acid to neutral.
• Moist to wet: the soil must never dry out.
• Out of the wind; allow 40–50 cm per plant.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

0.5 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Hosta: Blue or green leaves beside the yellow-green fern fronds.
• Astilbe: Pink and red plumes, also for moist shade.
• Siberian bugloss: Small blue flowers in spring, as the fern unfurls.
• Coral bells: Dark or reddish leaves that pick up the wine-red stems.
• Japanese forest grass: An arching grass that brings gentle movement to the shade border.

Eared lady fern: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant in March–May or in September–October.
2. Dig a generous hole and mix in plenty of leaf mould or well-rotted compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot, with the crown just above the soil.
4. Keep 40–50 cm between it and other plants.
5. Water in well straight away and keep the soil moist afterwards.
6. Mulch with leaf mould or fine bark.

Care

Watering

Keep the soil moist at all times; in dry summers, water generously in the morning or evening.

Feeding

A layer of leaf mould in spring is enough.

Mulching

Spread a layer of leaf mould every year, or leave fallen tree leaves around the plant.

Old fronds

Leave them over winter and cut them away in March.

In a pot

Use a large pot with humus-rich compost and water regularly; never let the pot dry out.

Tip: Plant it where the light comes in from the side, for instance at the edge of a shade border: that is where the yellow-green fronds and red stems glow best in spring.

Eared lady fern: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: In March, before the new fronds emerge. Otherwise no pruning is needed.

How:

• Cut the old, withered fronds off at the base.
• Spare the young, coiled fronds in the centre.
• Damaged or scorched fronds can be cut off at the base in summer.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April: older plants sometimes form several crowns. Lift the clump, cut it into pieces each with a crown and roots, and replant them straight away.

Spores

In summer, let ripe spores drop onto paper and sow them on moist, sterile compost under glass or plastic. It takes months before young ferns appear.

Eared lady fern: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Hardy to about −25 °C: in Belgium no protection is needed.
• The fronds die back in autumn; leave them in place until March as protection.
• In autumn, spread a layer of leaves or leaf mould around the base.
• In a pot: stand it against a sheltered wall and wrap the pot in hessian in hard frost.

Diseases and pests

• Brown frond edges: Caused by drought or too much sun. Water, mulch and choose a shadier spot.
• Late frost: Frozen young fronds in April. On a frosty night, cover the plant with fleece; it usually produces new fronds.
• Slugs: They eat the young fronds. Check in the evening in spring and remove them.
• Pale, dull foliage: Caused by too little nutrition or too deep shade. Mulch with leaf mould and choose a spot with a little more light.

Through the year

• March: Cut away old fronds. Plant. Divide.
• April: Yellow-green fronds with red stems unfurl. Plant. Mulch.
• May: Plant. Water in dry spells. Watch out for slugs.
• June: Water in dry spells.
• July: Water in dry spells. Collect spores.
• August: Water in dry spells.
• September: Plant.
• October: Plant. Spread leaves around the base.
• November: Leave the dead fronds in place.

Did you know?

• The species name otophorum means ‘ear-bearing’: small, ear-shaped lobes sit at the base of the segments.
• Athyrium is the lady fern genus; the native lady fern, Athyrium filix-femina, is a close relative.
• Ferns do not flower: they reproduce by spores, which in this genus sit in elongated clusters under the fronds.